A Short Biography for Tom Parker Bowles
Birth and Education
Thomas Henry Parker Bowles (more commony known simply as Tom) was born on December 18, 1974 to
Andrew and Camilla Parker Bowles. His stepfather (through his mother’s second marriage) and Godfather is Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales. His stepmother (through his father’s second marriage) is Rosemary Parker Bowles. His younger sister is
Laura Lopes and his step-brothers are Princes William and Harry.
Two pictures from Tom’s childhood (credit to LaMinka): Andrew, Camilla, Tom & Laura ; Camilla, Tom & Laura
Tom was educated at Summer Fields prep school in Oxford. He then attended the Eton Collage and Worcester Collage, Oxford, where he was a member (and possibly leader) of the exclusive and notorious Piers Gaveston Society (other notable members were Hugh Grant and Count Gottfried von Bismarck).
Although the media maintained Tom might have had a difficult youth, because of the long-term relationships of his mother and the Prince of Wales, on those rare occasions Tom did speak to public about his personal life (mainly answering questions during the presentations of his books), he claimed that both he and his sister had a great childhood, because they never had to doubt the love their parents had for them. Tom also spoke most highly of his step-father, calling him ‘an amazing man, who knows absolutely well the stuff he talks about’ (this was a reference to organic food and gardening, of which Prince Charles is a champion of promoting).
Career
Tom is a food columnist, as well as the author of two books about food. From 1997 to 2000 Tom was a junior publicist for Dennis Davidson Associates, a public relations firm. He later started working for the Mail on Sunday and the Tatler magazine. His first book, E is for Eating – An Alphabet of Greed was published in 2004. His second book, The Year of Eating Dangerously, was published in October 2006. Both books, expecially the second one, were received extremely well by the critics and brought a great success to Tom. Apart from writing, Tom is also a television presenter: he currently co-presents Market Kitchen for UKTV Food.
Writing about his prized recipes appears to be his current focus, however in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Tom was the leader in a group of Old Etonians, who had a clever head for business. He and his cousin, Ben Elliot, along with Luca Del Bono, Ben Goldsmith, James Tollemache and other leading members of the privileged group of young Old Etonian entrepreneurs founded Quintessentially. All members of that society reached heights in their chosen areas of career.
Marriage
On September 10, 2005
Tom married Sara Buys in
St. Nicholas’ Church, Rotherfield Grey, an Anglican Chruch, although Tom, like Laura, was raised as Roman Catholic.
Sara Buys is a fashion features editor at Harpers & Queen.
Among the guests were
Andrew and Rosmary Parker Bowles,
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall,
Laura Lopes (then Parker Bowles),
Princes William and Harry,
Annabel Elliot (Camilla's sister), the late
Major Bruce Shand (Camilla's father) and Ben Elliot (Tom's cousin, business collaborator and the best man to the groom at the wedding).
The Wedding thread of Tom Parker Bowles & Sara Buys
Children
On March 18, 2007 Tom and Sara announced to the Daily Mail that they are expecting their first child, due in September 2007. The Duches of Cornwall was said to be ‘absolutely over the moon’. His sister Laura announced her won pregnancy soon after.
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