With the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, 2022, Camilla, wife of King Charles III, is named queen consort, but why does she bear this title?
It is no secret to anyone that heirs to the throne must marry and produce offspring to ensure the continuation of the crown. In this way, some people not linked to aristocratic families managed to enter the royal family.
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Such is the case of Camilla Parker, the wife of the now King of England, who will be crowned Queen Consort on May 6. Many questions why this title and not only Queen.
It should be noted that there are different types of queens in monarchies, their name depends on the level at which they are in the reign.
What is the difference between being Queen and Queen Consort?
An heiress or direct queen is the eldest daughter of the current monarch, who inherits the crown in a direct line, therefore, she will be queen by right or by blood.
An example of an heiress queen is Queen Elizabeth, who ascended the throne when her father, King George VI, died.
One of the distinguishing characteristics of a Queen is that she has free decisions to rule the country and to lead the armed forces. Also, she has the same power and rights as the king, without the need to marry.
The queen consort only comes to the throne if she marries an heir to the throne or a future heir.
The Queen Consort does not exercise powers in the State and does not have the same power as kings, but they are treated as Royal Highness or Majesty. Their fundamental role is based on fulfilling social work roles or attending official events in case the king cannot.
Nowadays there are more men on the throne by inheritance, so there are many consort queens. Such is the case of Queen Letizia of Spain and Camilla of England.
Types of Queen
There is also the Queen Regent, who is the one who takes care of the throne because the direct king or queen is temporarily incapacitated or is a minor.
Another is the Queen Mother, which is the name given to the queen consort when the king dies first.
In Camilla’s case, if King Charles dies before her, She would be called Queen Dowager since she is not the mother of the new heir to the crown.
Another type of queen is the Queen Emeritus, who is the woman who held the office of the direct queen, but abdicated and now only carries out some official duties.
