Prince Charles is the oldest apparent heir in British history and one day he will finally see the throne. Once there, she will also be the oldest person to become a reigning monarch. The Prince of Wales has spent his life preparing for the role.
And you will have at your side the love of your life, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. There’s only one problem: Palace officials have directly said that Camilla will not become queen consort when Charles becomes king, although technically she should.
Now at least one real expert is calling this deference “meaningless”.
Camilla Parker Bowles awarded more than one title
No one was thrilled when Camilla and Charles went public with their relationship. This was years after Camilla became the most hated woman in the UK and was blamed for destroying Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s marriage thanks to a torrid romance with the future king. But there is a good chance that the marriage ended either way.
After Diana’s tragic death in 1997, the couple waited years to start attending events together, even if they were seeing each other all the time. They finally married in 2005.
But even after making their relationship official, Camilla never assumed the title she should have had: Princess of Wales. That honor remained with Diana even after death.
Will Camilla become the queen when Prince Charles is king?
When Prince Charles becomes king, it would only make sense for Camilla to become queen consort. But the Palace insists that she will not use that title. The reasoning is a little complicated for a real expert.
A Clarence House statement said: “The intention is for the duchess to be known as the princess consort when the prince accedes to the throne … This was announced at the time of the marriage and there has been absolutely no change.”
Prince Charles reportedly wants Camilla to become queen
But why? Apparently it’s to make Diana’s fans happy, as they still harbor negative feelings towards Camilla. Charlie Proctor, editor-in-chief of Royal Central, believes Prince Charles will want his wife to be queen, Express reported.
“The official line is that when Charles becomes king, Camilla will become princess consort. Personally, I think that doesn’t make sense, ”said Proctor. “When Charles takes the throne, Camilla will become queen consort.”
He continued: “Monarchy is not a popularity contest, and titles cannot be changed for fear that certain people still have tokens on their shoulders.”
Does Camilla’s real title really matter?
Ultimately, being called a Princess Consort or Queen Consort doesn’t make much difference in terms of royal powers or roles, it’s simply a sign of respect.
And everyone knows that Camilla is the wife of the future king. Still, considering how much Prince Charles loves his wife and the good job he has done in his role over the years, it would make sense for him to give her the proper title.
Despite the Clarence House announcement, there is a good chance that Charles will give Camilla her legitimate title as Queen Consort when she takes the throne. As a king, it would be within his power.
