Charles and Camilla: It sounds like a loco anniversary but…

IT WOULD make for a pleasant enough diversion on a Sunday afternoon, but could hardly be considered a suitable way to mark the day one exchanged marital vows with one's dearly beloved.

Yesterday, on the occasion of their third wedding anniversary, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall eschewed Parisian amour, or the luxury of a private yacht, for an altogether more pastoral destination - the village of Ballater.

Once in Royal Deeside, the couple did not head straight into Birkhall, their private residence on the nearby Balmoral Estate, for a candlelit dinner, nor did they decamp to the Cairngorms for a peaceful stroll. Instead, they chose to open an exact replica of the Victorian railway carriage, used by Queen Victoria in 1869 to travel between Windsor and Scotland.

It was quickly evident that Charles, dressed in a kilt of Gordon Highland tartan, was drifting into nostalgia but not necessarily for his wedding day. On countless occasions during his youth, he passed through Ballater's humble rail station, and yesterday's visit rekindled fond memories. "I have incredibly special memories of arriving and departing from here as a child," he said. "It is wonderful to see it brought back to life."

If a train station sparks Charles into talking happily of days gone by rather than a milestone in his marriage, it comes as no surprise to some observers. Among their circles of aides and close friends, there is some concern that their union is in crisis.

Some aides have suggested whereas Charles is said to relish the slow-paced, pedantic lifestyle a future king might be accustomed to, Camilla finds it inhibiting and cumbersome.

In the past 11 months, she has taken three holidays away from Charles: cruising the Aegean with friends last May, visiting the Mediterranean in September and flying off to Antigua in February to spend time with her ex-husband, Andrew Parker Bowles, their son, Tom, and his family.

But yesterday there were no signs that Camilla, who wore a Balmoral tartan dress, would have preferred to have been in sunnier climes, despite the mixed weather Ballater delivered.

The couple, who visited Ballater yesterday as part of a two-week getaway in Scotland, were happy to speak to the crowd of around 100 who waited outside the station.

Josephine Hazley, from Ballater, said: "They were more than pleasant, and when I wished them a happy anniversary, he said, 'Thank you for remembering'."

Penny Junor, who has written books on Prince Charles, said: "They are both terribly fond of Scotland and Charles loves railways and has a great interest in history and family history, and to see a replica of a carriage of how his distant relative would have travelled in would have been fascinating.

"Camilla may have preferred to have been on an island but would have been happy to be there."

Those involved in the reproduction project, meanwhile, were simply flattered that the couple chose to visit them on such a special day.

Ian Dunlop, VisitScotland's area director for Aberdeen and Grampian, said the prince was clearly enthusiastic about the scheme.

He said: "He asked a lot of questions about the physical building, and his interest in railways and Victoriana was obvious.

"It is a very proud day for us all, and we are delighted they chose their third wedding anniversary to come here."

KEEPING IT LOW-KEY

THE couple are not ones for marking anniversaries in style.

Their first was spent at Birkhall, on the Balmoral Estate – where they spent their honeymoon. To celebrate, they released an official photograph taken in the grounds of Clarence House by Mario Testino. Once in Scotland, they attended church for the Sunday service, before relaxing on the 50,000-acre estate.

Not wishing to break with tradition (until now), they also spent their second anniversary at Birkhall. Camilla had just had a hysterectomy, so the festivities were kept to a minimum.