THE NEW QUEEN
The wife of a king is usually given the title of queen, but when Charles and Camilla married 12 years after Princess Diana’s death, there was an agreement she would be known as the princess consort, not queen.
That changed in February this year when the queen said she wanted Camilla to be known as queen consort when Charles became king.
“When, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes king, I know you’ll give him and his wife Camilla the same support you have given me,” she said at the start of celebrations for her platinum jubilee.
“And it is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as queen consort as she continues her own loyal service.” Camilla took the new title immediately after the death of her mother-in-law.
Before this, Britain hadn’t heard the term since 1952, when King George VI died. His wife was known as Queen Elizabeth or Elizabeth, Queen Consort, but became the Queen Mother when her husband died. Her daughter was Queen Elizabeth II and having two Queen Elizabeths would’ve been too confusing.
Charles paid tribute to his spouse when officially announcing her new title. “I count on the loving help of my darling wife, Camilla. In recognition of her own loyal public service since our marriage 17 years ago, she becomes my Queen Consort. I know she will bring to the demands of her new role the steadfast devotion to duty on which I have come to rely so much.”
Camilla is officially Camilla, Queen Consort, although she’ll colloquially be known as Queen Camilla.
She’ll be crowned with the Queen Mother’s platinum-and-diamond tiara, created for George VI’s coronation in 1937. The crown, which features thousands of diamonds, was last seen in public resting on the Queen Mother’s coffin at her funeral.