By Kelly-Ann Mills
Queen Camilla was once "the most vilified woman in the land" during King Charles' marriage to the late Princess Diana \- but now she's become a "pillar of strength" for Kate Middleton as she battles cancer.
Ever since her acceptance as the King's wife and getting the seal of approval from his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth, she has taken on a pivotal role within the monarchy. Her clear love for the King and dedication to him was an ever-present theme of his coronation in May last year.
Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine and author of My Mother & I, told the Mirror: "Over the last months Queen Camilla has been a great support to the Princess of Wales. Her calm and sensible approach has been a positive comfort. So has her humour.
"Camilla’s steeliness after years of being regarded as an outsider have helped her build an inner strength which has never been more necessary than now. Not only is she taking on royal engagements for her husband the King but she is having to keep an eye on him. She is concentrating on keeping Charles cheerful and trying to prevent him from doing too much. At the same time, she has been a pillar of strength to Kate.
"She understands how frightening the diagnosis of cancer can be for a woman. Amongst many other fears is the prospect of losing their hair, which must be especially poignant for Kate whose trademark it has become. But by the worst thing as Kate explained was the difficulty of telling their three young children and protecting them from playground gossip.
"Camilla is particularly understanding as her own two children had a terrible time when she was branded the ‘other woman’ in the Prince’s life and became the most vilified woman in the land."