CAMULA TAKES ON NEW RESPONSIBILTIES ALONG WITH THE TITLE OF QUEEN CONSORT
For Camilla, 75, the road to becoming queen consort was neither certain nor smooth.
Camilla takes on new responsibilities along with the title of queen consort
For Camilla, 75, the road to becoming queen consort was neither certain nor smooth.
In the wake of Queen Elizabeth II's death, there is no longer a British queen, but there is a queen consort. That title was bestowed upon Camilla, King Charles III’s wife of 17 years.
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,” Charles said of his wife in a public address delivered shortly after he became king.
In practical terms, the role of queen consort involves accompanying the monarch to official engagements, at which she is addressed as “Her Royal Highness.”
The queen consort also serves as a counselor of state, along with the next four royals who are in the line of succession: Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew and Princess Beatrice. The role allows her to temporarily carry out some duties on behalf of Charles if he is ill or traveling abroad. Those responsibilities can include “attending Privy Council meetings, signing routine documents and receiving the credentials of new ambassadors to the United Kingdom,” according to the royal family’s official website.
For Camilla, 75, the road to becoming queen consort was neither certain nor smooth
In the wake of Queen Elizabeth II's death, there is no longer a British queen, but there is a queen consort. That title was bestowed upon Camilla, King Charles III’s wife of 17 years.
“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,” Charles said of his wife in a public address delivered shortly after he became king.
In practical terms, the role of queen consort involves accompanying the monarch to official engagements, at which she is addressed as “Her Royal Highness.”
The queen consort also serves as a counselor of state, along with the next four royals who are in the line of succession: Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew and Princess Beatrice. The role allows her to temporarily carry out some duties on behalf of Charles if he is ill or traveling abroad. Those responsibilities can include “attending Privy Council meetings, signing routine documents and receiving the credentials of new ambassadors to the United Kingdom,” according to the royal family’s official website.
Camilla, the Queen Consort, accompanied King Charles II in Westminster Hall during ceremonies marking the death of Queen Elizabeth II.Dan Kitwood / AP
The title of queen consort is typically given to the wife of a monarch. Queen Elizabeth’s mother, a beloved fixture of the royal family famously known as the Queen Mother, held the title during the reign of her husband, King George VI.
For Camilla, 75, the road to becoming queen consort was neither smooth — nor direct.
In the early years of Charles and Camilla’s marriage, it had been thought that Camilla would become princess consort upon the death of Queen Elizabeth. That changed in February, when Queen Elizabeth issued a statement noting it was her “most sincere wish that, when the time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort.”
The statement put to rest years of speculation and debate about Camilla’s future. Her complicated history with Charles has been portrayed in pop culture with varying degrees of accuracy, including in the popular Netflix series “The Crown.”
“There are some people who are going to consider Camilla the ‘other woman’ forever,” said Cele Otnes, emeritus professor of marketing at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the author of “Royal Fever: The British Monarchy in Consumer Culture.”
Years of a carefully choreographed image overhaul followed for Camilla, who has two children from her previous marriage, Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes.
“She’s done a very good job of just keeping her head down and doing good things,” said David Haigh, chairman and CEO of the London-based consulting firm Brand Finance. “I think she’s done her penance over the last 25 years. That’s why the queen rewarded her for her loyalty.”
In recent years, Camilla has put her energy into a number of philanthropic causes, including raising awareness about osteoporosis and domestic violence. She’s also been lauded by many for her unassuming ways.
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