To Camilla, Queen Consort, Bruce Shand was a loving father. However, to the world, he was a war hero. Back in 1939, Bruce went off to fight in World War II, with the honorable intention of defending his home country. Of course, as a young man, Bruce was not immune to naivité. Reflecting on this time in his 1990 memoir, "Previous Engagements," the soldier-turned-writer shared his aspirations of heading to war following a blow-out party (via The Guardian). Ultimately, though, this is not how things ended. Instead, Bruce was shipped off to France and, later, North Africa, where he was eventually taken captive by German troops. He remained imprisoned for the following two years.

By the time Bruce returned to Great Britain at the end of the war, he was a major and a hero. He was awarded the prestigious Military Cross award on two separate occasions. Later, a Hollywood movie was based on his experiences. As documentary filmmaker Gita Mehta told Vanity Fair, "[Camilla's] father was one of the guys on whom 'The Great Escape' was based." The classic 1963 film, which stars Steve McQueen, follows a group of Allied prisoners of war as they escape from Nazi camps during WWII.

On top of being a military man, Bruce Shand was known for being chivalrous. Speaking to Vanity Fair, photojournalist Don McCullin said, "Major Shand was the archetypal English gentleman with decorations, good manners, impeccable dress."