The wife of King Charles III of England, Camilla Parker Bowles, will cease to be “queen consort” to be simply “queen”. The title change will take place after her coronation on May 6, 2023, and will be a recognition of her role in the British monarchy.
The first hint of this development came days ago, when Camilla changed the name of her social book club to ‘The Queen’s Reading Room’, without the word consort. Soon, the official royal family register will also be changed to reflect Camilla’s new status, the Daily Mail has reported.
Camilla to be crowned Queen
According to Buckingham Palace sources quoted by the British tabloid, the title ‘queen consort’ is “too cumbersome” and they prefer Camilla to be known as ‘queen’. Moreover, royal staff already address her by that name and several media outlets have also adopted the title.
The change from ‘queen consort’ to ‘queen’ will not imply a substantial change in Camilla’s functions or duties, but it will have a major impact on her public image and popular acceptance. According to The Telegraph, removing the term ‘consort’ from Camilla’s title will also serve to align her with the wives of the kings who preceded her over the centuries.
In fact, sovereign consorts such as Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (the mother of Elizabeth II), Mary of Teck (wife of George V), or Alexandra (consort Edward VII) are still known today by the simple name of queens.
Camilla became queen consort on 8 September 2022 with the accession to the throne of her husband King Charles III after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The coronation is scheduled for 6 May 2023.
For historian Hugo Vickers, calling Camilla “queen consort” was a good way to differentiate her from Elizabeth II, avoiding confusion. Now, however, it seems that the time has come to give Camilla the same title as the previous wives of the British monarchs.
Camilla Parker Bowles: from mistress to queen
Camilla Parker Bowles the second wife of Charles, has been for years a controversial figure for her extramarital affair with him when he was married to Diana Spencer.
The relationship between Camilla and Charles dates back to the 1970s when they met and fell in love. However, due to family and social pressures, they had to separate and marry other people: he to Diana of Wales and her to Andrew Parker Bowles. Their clandestine affair continued for years and caused a great public scandal when it was made public in the 1990s.
After Charles and Diana divorced in 1996 and Diana’s death in 1997, Camilla and Charles resumed their relationship openly and married in 2005. It was then that Camilla received the title of Duchess of Cornwall, as the title of Princess of Wales was closely associated with Diana.
Since then, Camilla has accompanied Charles on his official engagements and has developed her own role as a member of the royal family. She has been involved in social causes such as fighting domestic violence, supporting rape victims, and promoting reading.
Camilla has faced public rejection and scrutiny for her role in the breakup of the marriage between Charles and Diana. Many Britons felt that she was not worthy to be queen or to take Diana’s rightful place. However, with the passage of time, Camilla has managed to gain the respect and sympathy of many citizens for her discretion, her sense of humor, and her loyalty to Charles.
Camilla Parker Bowles has been a woman who has lived a turbulent love story with Charles for decades. She has gone through difficult times and has been able to adapt to the circumstances. Now she faces a new challenge: to be the Queen of the United Kingdom.
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