CAMILLA, Duchess of Cornwall will be Queen consort when Prince Charles becomes King, the Queen has announced ahead of her Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
This has settled years of speculation and rumours of her title since she joined the royal family in 2005.
Will Camilla become Queen when Prince Charles becomes King?
When Camilla’s husband Prince Charles takes the throne, she will become Queen consort, it has been confirmed.
The wives of male members of the British family often take the female version of their husband’s titles after marriage.
However, Charles and Camilla‘s relationship has never been without scandal and speculation.
When the couple wed in 2005, Camilla rejected the title of Princess of Wales in order to avoid backlash as that was Diana’s title in life and was still known as such after her death.
Questions about Camilla’s title when Charles becomes King have been swirling around the royal family since the couple announced their engagement in 2005.
Buckingham Palace previously said that Camilla would be known as Princess consort rather than Queen when Prince Charles accedes the throne.
It was a new title created just for Camilla, because crowning her as queen “would create PR problems for the royals”, experts said at the time.
Why did Queen Elizabeth give permission for Camilla to become Queen consort?
The Queen’s latest announcement can be seen as her recognition of Camilla’s service to the monarchy.
She has become “a safe pair of hands” since she married Prince Charles in 2005, royal experts say.
She has become accomplished at public engagements and increasingly comfortable appearing in the media.
The Duchess has also promoted causes such as her book club, The Reading Room, guest-edited radio programs and campaigned against domestic violence.
She has also gradually gained more acceptance from a public that held little warmth for her previously, as her relationship with Charles became known when he was still married to Princess Diana.
The latest YouGov poll suggests that the Duchess is liked by 34% of the British population.
Earlier this year, Camilla was appointed as a Royal Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, one of the highest honours from the Queen.
The move was seen as a signal that the Queen considers her “on a similar footing to those Queen Consorts”.
Prince Philip, the Queen’s late husband was appointed to the Order of the Garter in 1947, before Elizabeth became monarch.
What did the Queen say?
The Queen said she hopes Camilla will be known as Queen Consort when Charles becomes King, drawing upon the “steadfast and loving support” her late husband and her mother gave herself and King George VI.
She said in her Accession Day message: “I was blessed that in Prince Philip I had a partner willing to carry out the role of consort and unselfishly make the sacrifices that go with it.
“It is a role I saw my own mother perform during my father’s reign.
“It is in my sincere wish that, when the time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service.”
What is Queen consort?
Throughout British history, the husband or wife of the monarch is known as the consort, a position that has no constitutional role but carries significant prestige.
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king, who usually shares her spouse’s social rank and status.
The mother of the Queen served in this role while her husband, King George VI, was on the throne from 1936 until 1952.
