Husband and wife: Charles, Camilla finally wed

updated 5:33 a.m. ET April 10, 2005

WINDSOR, England - Signing a registrar’s book and kneeling before the Archbishop of Canterbury, Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles sealed in matrimony a romance sparked more than 30 years ago and blamed by many for poisoning his marriage to Princess Diana.

Under the solemn gaze of Archbishop Rowan Williams, the fifty-something divorcees nervously pledged their lifelong love at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle Saturday and confessed “manifold sins and wickedness” — words from the Church of England’s Book of Common Prayer.

After enduring years of criticism and even ridicule, the evident affection the couple feel for each other appeared finally to have won them a measure of acceptance from the British public. But it remains to be seen whether the bride will ever be known as Queen Camilla.

'Past is the past'
“He did a bit of a dirty job on Diana,” said Tina Quinney, 59, one of the thousands of people who lined the streets of this royal town. “But the past is the past.”

Royal Wedding Latest on the wedding Interactive: Britain's royal family Mad over hats Camilla's dress: Elegant, feminine Homey retreat for honeymoon U.K. poet laureate honors wedding 'Dateline': Reality behind the fairy tale Charles struggles with his public image

Following the awkwardness of changing the location of the civil wedding, the unsubstantiated reports of the queen’s “fury” at the wedding, and the one-day postponement because of Pope John Paul II’s funeral, the day went off flawlessly — and in bright sunshine.

Camilla is now officially the Princess of Wales, although she will be known as the Duchess of Cornwall in deference to enduring public affection for Diana. When Charles is crowned, she will be queen — but the prince’s office says she will use the title “princess consort” instead.

Throughout the day, the couple displayed wedding-day jitters, tenderness and even a playful side.

The couple’s hands knocked against one another several times before finding a comfortable clasp during the church blessing. Afterwards, Camilla clutched her hat awkwardly in a blustery wind, waving to well-wishers with her bouquet of spring flowers.

But the affection between the couple, who first met and fell in love in the early 1970s, was apparent. Charles, 56, reached over to help his new wife, 57, find her place in her prayerbook as they stood before the archbishop, and he touched her arm to signal when it was time to kneel.

Slide show   Royal wedding England celebrates the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, a far different affair from his first wedding, to Lady Diana Spencer.

She appeared emotional at times during the service; he was fidgety and somber. Even the normally reserved queen — whose views about her son’s wedding have been the subject of endless media speculation — beamed as she emerged from the chapel.

The couple sped away for their honeymoon on the prince’s Balmoral estate in Scotland in a car festooned with red, blue and white balloons and the words “Just Married” scrawled on the back window.

In spite of protestations that the couple wanted something low-key, news of the wedding dominated front pages in Sunday’s papers across Britain’s former colonies.

In Hong Kong, handed back to China by Britain in 1997, the English-language South China Morning Post ran a massive photo of the couple on its front page. Its editorial said, “This was not a fairy tale wedding — far from it. But it is one which is likely to last.”

A simple affair
The wedding, the second for both Charles and Camilla, was far simpler than the spectacular 1981 ceremony in which he married the 20-year-old Diana. The local registrar, Clair Williams, conducted the 25-minute civil ceremony at Windsor’s Guildhall, or town hall, before fewer than 30 guests — mostly the bride and groom’s relatives.

Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip skipped the ceremony, saying they were respecting Charles’ wish that it be “low key,” but they were present for a religious blessing of the marriage afterward.

Royal pomp was far more visible at that service, held under the chapel’s majestic arches in Windsor Castle and televised live. About 800 guests, including Prime Minister Tony Blair and Camilla’s ex-husband Andrew Parker Bowles, were there.

MORE FROM WORLD NEWS

World news Section Front

NYT: Pakistan rebuffs U.S. demands on Taliban Iran to try 3 Americans who crossed border Afghan vows to Taliban turncoats often empty Climate talks resume after hours-long boycott Study: Warming puts seals, koalas at risk U.S. had warned of possible Baghdad blasts General: Afghan surge to take longer Dubai gets surprise $10 billion bailout Berlusconi remains in hospital after attack Court rules Basescu winner of Romanian election World news Section Front   Add World news headlines to your news reader: