Taking the Throne
After decades waiting to reign over the British empire, Prince Charles is bypassed in favor of his son and daughter-in-law — and his wife is furious
After a huge battle, Queen Elizabeth II names Prince William and Kate Middleton the next king and queen.
Kate Middleton always dazzles at events. But at a Kensington Palace gala on Nov. 7, the duchess had even more sparkle than usual. The reason: She was wearing jewels from Queen Elizabeth II’S personal collection, including diamond earrings and a diamond bracelet last seen on her majesty in 2010.
The queen is entrusting Kate with far more than her jewelry, though. While the two once feuded about whether Kate was taking on enough duties, Prince William’s pregnant wife has amped-up her schedule in recent months in anticipation of a major promotion. Life & Style has exclusively learned that William and Kate, both 35, have been named the next king and queen of England by his grandmother. But the announcement from her royal highness only came after an epic Game of Thrones– type battle — and leading the war was Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, wife of overlooked heir Prince Charles. “Camilla has told Charles to ‘man up’ and fight the decision,” reveals a friend. “She’s fuming and has told him it was his destiny to be on the throne. There’s a
lot of plotting and scheming going on behind the scenes.”
PALACE CHAOS
Charles, Elizabeth’s 69-year-old son and the rightful heir, obeyed. “He doesn’t like to see Camilla upset,” admits a royals insider, so he “felt it necessary to confront his mother about the situation.” But Camilla, 70, wasn’t leaving it all up to her husband of 12 years. She confronted her replacement, Kate, in a tense phone call. “Camilla told Kate she wasn’t going to be passed over,” says the friend. “She didn’t hold back.” While Charles, the Prince of Wales, holds the record as
( the longest-serving heir apparent,
his wife believes she deserves to be right next to him while he sits on the throne. “Camilla has always loved the glitz and glamour that goes with being
( a royal,” says the royals insider. “She has taken it personally that the queen
( has chosen Kate over her.” If Charles became king, Camilla would not au
( tomatically be queen, but he could elevate her to that title.
The call between the two wouldbe queens was heated, says the friend, but largely one-sided. “Kate was taken aback,” the friend notes. “She was really embarrassed and just told Camilla, ‘ It’s not up to me. Speak to William.’”
It’s not up to him, either. Law dic- tates that Queen Elizabeth II’S direct successor be the next to sit upon the throne. But her royal highness has instructed Charles to step aside, or abdicate, when the crown finally passes to him. “The queen has made it clear that she wants William to be the next king,” says a palace insider. “She thinks Charles is too unpopular with the public. She has worked all her adult life to ensure the future of the monarchy, and she does not want to see all her efforts wasted.”
The queen, 91, seems to be speaking for the public. Charles has been under fire in the British press in recent days, since leaked documents showed he campaigned to alter climate-change agreements without disclosing that he had a financial interest in a firm that could benefit from the changes. And even before that, a 2017 poll found that only 36 percent of Britons think Charles has been beneficial to the monarchy, and a minuscule 14 percent of the population wants Camilla to become queen. A separate poll showed that 51 percent of Brits currently hope William is named king instead of his father. “All the opinion polls show the public wants William to succeed the queen,” notes the friend. “There would be a revolt if Camilla and Charles [were named] king and queen together.”
HAUNTED BY THE PAST
The pair’s sordid start is what’s doomed their future. Camilla and Charles were embroiled in an affair throughout his marriage to his first wife, much-beloved Princess Diana, who tragically died in a car crash at age 36. And a host of documentaries commemorating the 20th anniversary of her death in August, several with moving interviews with sons William and Harry, 33, brought the dirty details back to the surface. “The queen was very angry when she found out about Charles and Camilla’s affair, as it brought shame upon the family,” says the royals insider.
Many have drawn comparisons between William’s wife and Diana, the “People’s Princess.” At first, Queen
Elizabeth II didn’t approve of her granddaughter-in-law’s modern, independent ways, and they clashed over everything from work schedules to wardrobes. Six years after Kate married into the family and wel- comed George, 4, and Charlotte, 2, however, “Elizabeth is always raving about her and William to aides. They have millions of fans who worship them and always follow royal rules without complaining about anything,” says a source. “They’re also both mature beyond their years, intelligent and educated, and under- stand what being a royal entails.”
That’s why she’s proud to name them her successors. “The queen is certain that with Kate and William as head of the monarchy, things will run smoothly and any drama and big decision-making will be dealt with in a mature and reasonable manner,” says the source. “Nothing seems to fluster Kate and William!”
PROVING HER ROYAL STRIPES
Even illness can’t keep Kate down. She’s expecting identical twin girls in April, as Life & Style reported. But even while suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, the extreme morning sickness that had her hospitalized during her first pregnancy, Kate went above and beyond the call of royal duty, making a surprise appearance at a reception at Buckingham Palace in honor of World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10. Her schedule has been packed ever since the appearance, which came five weeks after she announced her pregnancy. “Kate is feeling a lot better and that’s why she has been out and about on more royal duties,” says a Middleton insider. “She is gaining weight and having cravings; she has fallen in love with ginger biscuits and eats a packet a day.”
As queen, Kate can have whatever she wants. “Elizabeth and royal aides are already spending time training William and Kate and giving them insight into what lies ahead,” says the source. “Kate is nervous about being the next queen of England, especially because balancing family and royal life is so important to her. But she’s excited about what the future holds.”
THE DECISION’S FINAL
Despite the queen’s decree, the friend says “infuriated” Camilla’s not giving up just yet. “Charles and Camilla can fight all they want, but they are going to have to accept it,” notes the friend. “Once the queen has made up her mind, she normally sticks to it. And Charles will do what his mother tells him.”
“She’s really been there in a gentle guidance for me.” — Kate on Queen Elizabeth II showing her the royal ropes