Queen Camilla's former daughter-in-law, Sara Parker-Bowles, has broken her silence about her "horrible" divorce.
The Queen's son, Tom Parker Bowles, married Sara Buys in 2005. Together they have two children, Lola, 16, and Freddy, 13.
The couple's divorce was finalised in 2022, and neither party has said much since their marriage came to an end.
But now the Queen's former daughter-in-law has opened up about her marriage to Tom, stating they had a very "happy" relationship before their "horrible" separation.
Sara and Tom married in 2005
PA
She said: "Divorce is horrible. The end of a relationship with someone you love is hard.
"It’s painful to think, 'How much of this is my fault? Have I messed up my life?' It was very dark.
"Of course you feel guilty forever for hurting your kids, that’s never going to go away and I would rather we had stayed together as a family.
"But, fortunately, I’ve arrived at the conclusion that these things just happen.
Sara and Tom have two children
PA
"My marriage was a happy one until it wasn’t and I’ll always think of it in very affectionate terms."
Sara, who runs the styling service Wardrobe Revivals, has remained single since the split.
However, Tom began a relationship with the granddaughter of the 2nd Viscount Ingleby, Alice Procope.
They dated for almost two years before she died from cancer at the age of 42 in March 2021.
Tom is a well-known food critic
PA
Sara also told The Mail: "It’s not nice to read these things, but it’s not Tom’s fault.
"I was married to him long enough to understand that. It doesn’t make it any easier.
"But it is absolutely something you just need to understand."
Tom previously said about his marriage: "Marriage is about compromise, about two people who might be rather different, but who love each other very much.
LATEST ROYAL NEWS:
Sara admitted 'divorce is horrible'
PA
"Marriage is a wonderful thing in the long term, but there are ups and downs," he told The Times.
The former couple married in September 2005 at St Nicholas Church in Rotherfield Greys.
Sara opened up about Queen Camilla as a grandmother: "She’s a really good granny, very hands-on and she’s never been anything but nice to me.
"If Tom and I are arguing, it’s between us. The long-term relationship between her and her grandchildren is what’s important and that’s never changed."