THE Prince of Wales is to marry Camilla Parker Bowles - but she will never be Queen, Clarence House said today.
Mrs Parker Bowles will become HRH Duchess of Cornwall when she weds Charles on Friday, April 8, and will be known as the Princess Consort when he eventually becomes King.
The wedding will be a civil ceremony in Windsor Castle followed by a service o
f prayer and dedication in St George's Chapel at which the Archbishop of Canterbury will preside.
Charles said he and his wife-to-be, pictured above, were "absolutely delighted" at their engagement.
The announcement has ended years of media speculation on their relationship, which has spanned decades.
Today The Bishop of Sheffield, the Rt Rev Jack Nicholls, said he believes the public will think the wedding announcement is a "good thing".
He said: "I don't think this has come as a surprise to many people. It is obvious they have been close for many years now.
"I think people will generally see this as a good thing."
But the marriage could anger some religious figures, it is believed.
If he becomes King, Charles would be the supreme governor of the Church of England - and some Anglicans remain opposed to the remarriage of divorcees.
The church is officially neutral on the issue, but former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey recently urged the couple to marry.
BBC Royal Correspondent Nicholas Witchell said the decision to marry is "a step not without considerable risk for the Royal Family". He said the Royal Family would "be watching very carefully to see how public opinion unfolds."
Last year, a poll indicated that more Britons support Prince Charles marrying Camilla than oppose it. About 32 per cent said they would support Charles if he remarried, while 29 per cent were opposed. However, most people - 38 per cent - said they did not care.
Camilla has joined the Prince at numerous engagements in recent years - mostly at evening events for The Prince's Trust.
Clarence House staff said she attended these events in a private capacity. But the impending wedding will now allow her to be at the Prince's side full-time in an official capacity.
Princess Diana, who died in a car crash in Paris seven years ago, famously referred to Mrs Parker Bowles as one of the contributing factors in her marriage breakdown.
