How Camilla's ancestor was one of the last 'acceptable' royal mistresses

The latest season of The Crown has reignited the controversy surrounding the relationship between Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.

Their affair while Charles was still married to Princess Diana is a central focus of the season, with many younger generations experiencing the scandal for the first time on their TV screens.

Backlash over the less-than-flattering depiction of their love affair has forced the couple to take action, turning off comments on their social media platforms.

But critics going after Camilla for being a "royal mistress" should know that she definitely wasn't the first, nor was Charles the first married prince to stray.

Both have ancestors who were involved in messy royal affairs of their own – in fact, it was the same affair.

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Camilla's great-great grandmother, Alice Frederica Edmonstone, was mistress to none other than King Edward VII, Charles' great-great-grandfather.

Yes, it's a bit odd that the couple are (very) distantly related, but their ancestors' sordid scandals were juicer than anything on The Crown.

Flirty 'Freddie' Edmonstone

Camilla's great-great-grandmother had a salacious reputation long before she became a royal mistress, nicknamed "flirtatious Freddie" for her cheeky ways.

Born into a wealthy and well-connected family in the late 1860s, Alice grew up in a Scottish castle and was afforded every luxury a young woman could want for.

She was beautiful and kind, two very desirable features in a woman at that time, her daughter Violet once describing her as "luminous".

"She was luminous, resplendent... She not only had a gift of happiness, but she excelled in making others happy," she wrote.

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By 23, Alice was married to a very respectable British Royal officer, Lieutenant-Colonel George Keppel, and the pair moved to London, where they joined the city's high society circles.

An unconventional marriage

As sweet and striking as Alice was, she reportedly had no care for fidelity.

Soon she began having affairs and climbing the London social ladder through her illicit connections to rich, high-powered men.

At home, Alice and George had two daughters together, Violet and Sonia - the latter of which was Camilla's great-grandmother.

Despite the affairs, the girls reported growing up in a home full of love and laughter.

It sounds shocking by today's standards, but George was reportedly more than comfortable with Alice's affairs, and even had a few of his own.

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"I do not mind what she does as long as she comes back to me in the end," he reportedly said.

But how would the happy family fare when Prince Edward, future King, came along?

A royal affair

Alice met Edward in 1898 through one of her many high society parties, though little is known about how exactly their illicit romance began.

She was 29 years younger than the royal, who would soon be crowned King, but their affair was much more than a "bit on the side".

Alice wasn't his first mistress, but she was supposedly his favorite and even went on to play a role in court politics and King's marriage at the time.

His wife, Queen Consort Alexandra of Denmark, took a liking to Alice for her discretion and ability to keep the King grounded.

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The Queen became close allies with Alice, and the pair were even known to exchanges gifts on special occasions.

As for her role in politics, Alice helped host events for government parties and became a trusted advisor to King Edward.

The relationship wasn't one-sided either: Edward gave Alice almost $7 million worth of shares in a rubber company by today's rates, and promoted her husband to a well-positioned job.

As for George Keppel, he stayed out of his wife's affair with the King and would discreetly leave their home whenever word came that the royal was stopping by.

The end of an era

In 1910 King Edward died, Alice at his side. His passing left her heartbroken and she had to be removed from his rooms so his body could be prepared for burial.

Though the Queen had been close to Alice during her years as Edward's mistress, there was no place for the non-royal at court after his passing.

Instead, she and George Keppel moved away from London with their daughters, travelling for almost 15 years before the couple settled in Italy.

Though they continued to play a key role in British high society, Alice's days as a royal mistress were well and truly over.

So too was the era when royal mistresses were an expected and acceptable fixture in the lives and courts of Kings.

In the century since, royal affairs have become taboo, reputation-destroying scandals that can leave participants open to criticism for years to come – just ask Charles and Camilla.