LONDON, July 19: Prince Charles has thrown a champagne supper party to mark the 50th birthday of Camilla Parker Bowles while the paparazzi encircled his country mansion and the nation debated whether he would marry the love of his life.

Eighty guests, including Parker Bowles' ex-husband, Andrew and his second wife, gathered yesterday at Highgrove, Charles' country estate in southwest England for canapes followed by a five-course meal and birthday cake, then dancing.

Other royals were not invited.``For one evening, at least, Camilla will be queen of her own court,'' gushed the Royalist Express tabloid.

Not surprisingly, Charles' ex-wife Diana, who has blamed Parker Bowles for destroying the royal marriage, was also left off the guest list. Buckingham Palace said Charles' bash was private, but some media royal watchers described it as Charles' most public statement yet about the woman he has doted on for more than two decades. They believe the widely publicised event is the Prince's way of gently - Camilla into the public spotlight.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.