Camilla - from nervous bride to 'queen' in waiting

Seven years ago this week, as nervous a bride as you'd ever see climbed out of her car at Windsor Guildhall,

. Camilla Parker-Bowles was shaking.

And no wonder. Opposite her, was a group of grim, middle-aged women (and a few men) who called themselves the Diana Circle and called that day's bride, Cowmilla.

She really had no idea what the reception was going to be as she arrived to marry the heir to the throne, the Prince of Wales, former husband of the late Princess Diana.

The Circle had vowed to keep Diana's name alive and intervene in anything which suggested happiness or moving on for Charles. Especially anything to do with Mrs Camilla Parker-Bowles.

I interviewed some of them after Diana's tragic death as they made their threatening pledge and I have to say, obsessive was an easy word to use.

Nearly a decade and much abuse later as the maligned Prince finally married the woman he should probably have married in the first place, some from the Diana Circle were still there, coldly critical of the union. Indeed they had previously written to the Registrar General lodging(unsuccessfully) an official objection to the wedding.

So on that April day, the bride had good reason to feel shaken. She had been widely attacked in print, verbally abused in a most vicious way, unfavourably compared with the beautiful Diana and yet she never reacted publicly nor said so much as a single word in her defence. If a defence was needed.

Then once they got to the nuptials, even that seemed temporarily doomed. God bless him, the Pope had died the week before and his funeral was arranged for Friday, April 8, the wedding day.

The groom and his advisors firmly believed that he should be in Rome for the occasion instead of in Windsor for his marriage.

So the incredible logistics of rearranging a royal wedding within days, swung into place and instead of reporting on the big do on what turned out to be a snowy Friday, we were rescheduled for a warmer and sunnier Saturday. And yes, some of us still have the souvenir teatowel or apron with the wrong date!

But such trivia was surely far removed that day from the bride's thoughts when she arrived at the Guildhall for the civil ceremony before she and her new husband moved to St George's Chapel for the service of thanksgiving.

As it happens, there was no visible disturbance, even applause and when the new bride and groom emerged, what a difference. He was beaming, their assorted four children clearly delighted and the bride was no longer nervous.

And so after the wedding, the next campaign began, to prevent the newly titled Duchess of Cornwall from ever becoming Queen, even if her husband does make it to the throne. As it happens, she has made that decision for herself and will almost certainly be known as Princess Consort. But make no mistake, as the King's wife, she would be entitled to take the title of Queen.

Rumour reckoned the present holder of that title, was not keen on her new daughter-in-law. I think that rumour was wrong.

We can well believe that Her Majesty was unhappy about the divorces of three of her children and shaken at the reaction to her after Diana died, for not racing back to London rather staying in Scotland with two shocked little grandsons who had just lost their mother.

But if nothing else and after many years of learning how to be pretty unshockable, the Queen is pragmatic and knows that you have to move on in the best way you can.

At the Windsor Castle reception on that wedding day, she made an affectionate speech when she spoke of how proud she was of her son who had 'come through' despite terrible obstacles. Since it was Grand National day, the race-loving Queen also suggested that the couple had reached the winners' enclosure.

Since then, The Duchess of Cornwall hasmore than played her part. She has risen above spiteful slings and arrows, has supported Charles, is loved by his sons and together, they have all supported his mother.

By a long and often painful route, she has found her own support out in the country. Fair minded folk have acknowledged her contribution and many who meet her for the first time are charmed by her warmth, great sense of humour and real interest in them.

Now, in this Diamond Jubilee year, her mother-in-law has awarded Camilla the most significant personal honour in the Queen's gift.

The Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order is not given lightly, relative or not. What Her Majesty is doing here, is confirming the Duchess of Cornwall's place in royal life, as her eldest son's wife and a firm acceptance that Camilla is playing her royal as well as family part.

The harshest critics will not be silenced. But increasingly, others are prepared to accept the Duchess and her Prince as an industrious and devoted couple, supporting the Queen and doing their best to fulfil not always well defined roles. The new honour of Dame for the most senior royal lady next to the Queen, has been earned.