Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
QUEEN CAMILLA
Proposed title of Princess Consort is removed from official site after 13 years
PRINCE Charles’ household has fuelled speculation that Camilla will take the title of Queen.
Their new website has removed statements saying she will be known as Princess Consort when he becomes King.
Clarence House made the announcement about the secondary title when the pair revealed in 2005 they were engaged.
A spokeswoman insisted yesterday the statement from 13 years ago about Camilla’s title “has not changed”.
But the fact “Princess Consort” is not mentioned anywhere on the new website raises questions about whether Charles, 69, is paving the way for his wife, 70, to be crowned Queen.
Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, said: “I think it’s a very interesting development that it should, after so many years, have been removed.
“It is something that is pertinent to a lot of people – what she will be called.
“We can’t jump to conclusions that she is definitely going to become Queen. But I am all in favour of it being removed because I have never approved of the fact Clarence House said 13 years ago that... the Duchess of Cornwall would be known as Princess Consort.
“I have always regarded the wife of a British King to be a Queen – and to give her a lesser title just really wasn’t on in my opinion.
“I very much hope that when the time comes she will be Queen Camilla.”
Legally, as the wife of the King, Camilla would be Queen, but the old website declared that there were no plans for her to use the title.
Instead, the lesser title was included in the site’s frequently asked questions section and in Camilla’s biography, saying: “It is intended that The Duchess will be known as HRH The Princess Consort when The Prince of Wales accedes to The Throne.”
When Charles was asked in an interview in 2010 if Camilla might take the title of Queen, he replied “that could be”. The next year when a girl said “are you going to be Queen one day?”, Camilla answered “you never know”.
Opinion polls suggest there could be a mixed reaction from the public, with some still struggling to accept Camilla after her affair with Charles while he was married to Princess Diana.
A survey in August, which was the 20th anniversary of Diana’s death, showed that 67% did not want Camilla to take the title Queen.
Clarence House said yesterday the changes were made to the website because the issue of Camilla being called Queen had not been raised recently.
The spokeswoman said: “Our frequently asked questions are updated regularly. This is one question [we have] not been asked by the public for some time, which is why it no longer features.”
Questions that remain include “why does the Duchess still have her own home at Raymill?” And “does the Prince... intend to have a multifaith Coronation?”