Royal family's hidden ties: Meet William and Harry's step-siblings

The British royal family holds many secrets. It is widely known, however, that after his second marriage, King Charles provided his sons with step-siblings. Who are Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes, and what are they doing today?

Prince Harry and Prince William have been in the media spotlight since a young age. It can almost seem that the older they get, the more the tabloid press is interested in their lives. In recent years, one of the main topics in British tabloids has been the conflict between the brothers. Not everyone knows (or remembers) that William and Harry also have other siblings—step-siblings.

Harry and William's step-siblings come from King Charles III's marriage to Camilla Parker Bowles, whom he married in 2005. Before marrying Charles, Camilla already had two children from her first marriage to Andrew Parker Bowles.

Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes, to whom we're referring, do not hold formal royal duties as they are not part of the British royal family line of succession. However, as Camilla's children, they are sometimes invited to important family and royal events. They were present at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding in 2018. They also participated in the ceremony of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011.

Laura graduated from Oxford Brookes University, where she studied art history and marketing. Her professional career is associated with the arts. She currently works as a curator and co-founder of London's Eleven Gallery. She was also previously a motoring correspondent for "Tatler" magazine. Despite her royal connections, Laura chose to live a life away from the media buzz, focusing on her family and work.

In 2006, Laura married Harry Lopes, a former Calvin Klein model, who, after ending his modeling career, started working as a certified accountant. The wedding took place in Wiltshire. Laura wore a wedding dress designed by Anna Valentine—the same designer her mother chose for her wedding to Charles.

Laura and Harry Lopes have three children—Eliza and twins Gus and Louis. The children played significant roles during critical royal events. Eliza was a bridesmaid at Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding, and the sons, Gus and Louis, were pageboys during Queen Camilla's coronation.

Unlike his sister, Tom Parker Bowles enjoys significant popularity in the UK. He is a well-known food critic and author, as well as a television presenter. He regularly writes restaurant reviews for "The Mail on Sunday" and serves as the food editor for the men's magazine "Esquire." In 2014, he was listed among the top 10 most followed British restaurant critics on Twitter (now X).

Tom's private life has had its ups and downs. In 2005, he married Sarah Buys, editor of "Harpers & Queen" magazine, with whom he has two children—Lola and Frederick. The couple separated in 2018. Tom later became involved with Alice Procope, a former journalist. Their happiness was cut short when Alice passed away in 2021 due to cancer.