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Queen Camilla and her ex-husband attended the same event in a rare appearanceThe former couple separately paid their respects at the late Dame Jilly Cooper’s memorial service in LondonThe future Queen Camilla was married to Andrew Parker Bowles from 1973 to 1995 and they remain friendly today

Queen Camilla and her ex-husband, Andrew Parker Bowles, paid their respects at the memorial service honoring the late Dame Jilly Cooper.

On Jan. 30, the Queen, 78, and her ex-husband Andrew, 86, both attended the service of thanksgiving for Cooper at Southwark Cathedral in London. The former couple was not photographed together, but it was rare for them both to appear at the same event.

Other guests included Stanley Tucci, his wife (and Cooper’s literary agent) Felicity Blunt and several stars of the award-winning Disney+ TV series Rivals, which was adapted from Cooper’s 1988 novel of the same name. 

Queen Camilla was close friends with Cooper, the author behind the bestselling Rutshire Chronicles romance novels who died in October 2025 at age 88 after suffering a fall at home.

Queen Camilla speaks with Dean of Southwark Mark Oakley ahead of a service of thanksgiving for Dame Jilly Cooper at Southwark Cathedral on Jan. 30, 2026.

Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty 

The Queen attended the event without King Charles, and Andrew was pictured at the service with Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes, his two children with Camilla.

Camilla married British Army officer Andrew in 1973, and they went on to welcome their two children. They split in 1995, and Camilla went on to wed the future King Charles in 2005. She has stayed friendly with her ex, who even attended King Charles’ coronation in May 2023.

Exclusively speaking to PEOPLE in 2024, their son Tom, 51, opened up about how his parents are “still great friends” and celebrate Christmas together with their wider family.

Tom Parker Bowles, Andrew Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes arrive for a service of thanksgiving for Dame Jilly Cooper at Southwark Cathedral on Jan. 30, 2026.

Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty

“My mother and father are still great friends, and we will go down on December 27 and my mother will sometimes come,” Tom told PEOPLE. 

“It is something to work towards. It’s a maturity that is a great thing if — despite a marriage sometimes not working – you can keep it together for the sake of the children and the sake of each other, then it’s a very good thing,” he added.

Andrew Parker Bowles and Queen Camilla at Royal Ascot on June 19, 2025.

Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty 

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Queen Camilla and Andrew were most recently seen together at Royal Ascot in June 2025, where they were photographed together on the third day of the races.

The retired army officer was also spotted with Princess Anne at the Cheltenham Festival, another equestrian event, in March.

Andrew and Princess Anne, 75, dated in the early 1970s and remained friends after their relationship faded. He is a godfather to her daughter, Zara Tindall.