Future ‘Queen Camilla’ finds it ‘rude’ to talk about coronation

THE Duchess of Cornwall is not seeking further elevated roles within the Royal family, finding it “rude” to talk about a future coronation out of respect for the Queen, a source has suggested.

The Duchess, who was this week hailed as a future “Queen Camilla” after Her Majesty moved to settle the question of her title, said she was “honoured” and “touched” by the gesture from her mother-in-law.

But, palace sources said, she “has not ever sought” the title and would not take part in discussions over a future coronation.

One said there were now “no further questions” about the Duchess’s role to settle, insisting reported details about the crown she would wear for a future coronation were “jumping ahead too quickly”. A source said: “It would be rude.”

Others suggested there was a sense of relief about the decision over the Duchess’s “Queen Consort” role being “done and dusted”, putting an end to the debate about what the wife of a future King Charles would be called.

Neither the Duke of Cambridge nor Duke of Sussex have commented on public confirmation of their stepmother’s future title. Prince William is said to be “fine with it”.

She will likely eventually be made a “Counsellor of State”, with a source confirming the matter remains a live issue under discussion.

The role, which allows counsellors to carry out limited constitutional duties if the monarch is incapacitated, is currently held by Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince Harry and Prince Andrew. The late Duke of Edinburgh also held the position, with the Duchess now widely tipped to be given similar authority.

The Duchess is not taking an active role in planning the Prince’s eventual coronation, with a committee already chaired by the Earl Marshal.

While the Duke of Edinburgh took personal control of planning the Queen’s coronation at her request, the Duchess has not taken a similar position. The Counsellor of State role was thrown into particular relief this week after the Prince of Wales tested positive for Covid and the Duke of Cambridge was briefly overseas.

The Queen herself is understood to still be showing no symptoms of coronavirus. Triple-vaccinated, she saw the Prince on Tuesday. The omicron variant has an incubation period of around three to five days before symptoms tend to begin to appear.