King Charles, Queen Camilla's anniversary trip to Italy raises eyebrows

King Charles III and Queen Camilla are preparing to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary in a manner befitting the British royal family. 

Despite being married for two decades, the couple continues to maintain separate luxury homes, complete with staff, privacy buffers, and royal perks.

According to The Express' Jack Stooks, a former palace insider who worked as a senior gardener at Highgrove House for over 20 years, the couple agreed before their 2005 wedding that Camilla would retain her private residence in Wiltshire, while Charles would continue to have access to his extensive portfolio of royal estates across the country.

"Before Charles and Camilla got married, they agreed Camilla would keep her home," Stooks told the outlet. 

"The separate space was important for them both and their families." This arrangement allows the royal couple to enjoy a level of luxury and freedom that is far removed from the lives of the average British citizen.

While most married couples navigate life together, King Charles and Queen Camilla have chosen to maintain their distance. 

The king has even purchased a £3 million property next to Camilla's home, reportedly to shield her from the potential inconvenience of nearby wedding guests.

Camilla's Wiltshire mansion is described as her "sanctuary," where she can escape royal life and enjoy weekends with family and friends, away from prying eyes. 

Meanwhile, Charles has access to a range of palaces and retreats, with Highgrove being just one of the many properties at his disposal.

"Charles enjoys time alone and he's got a very strong work ethic," Stooks added.

 "He's been known to work at his desk into the early hours." This is perhaps easier to do when surrounded by the luxuries of royal life, including gilded walls and taxpayer-funded security.

While Camilla is said to maintain "a lot of friends" and hosts regularly at various royal homes, the couple is celebrated for not "living in each other's pockets" - as though basic cohabitation is a hardship to be avoided.

The couple's anniversary trip to Italy next week is just the latest in a long string of taxpayer-subsidized tours and getaways that bear little resemblance to the realities of the average British citizen. 

This is particularly notable given the economic uncertainty and rising living costs currently affecting many people in the UK.

The royal narrative now spins their separate lives as a romantic success story, despite the couple's history.

King Charles's failed marriage to Princess Diana and Camilla's own marriage to Andrew Parker Bowles are well-documented, but the royal family seems to have moved on.