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Queen announces Camilla to become Queen Consort after Charles ascends throne
According to Queen Elizabeth II, Duchess Camilla should one day bear the title of Queen alongside the heir to the throne, Prince Charles
© PETER CZIBORRA / AFP
The British Queen reigns for 70 years. This will not be celebrated until June. But on the anniversary of her accession to the throne, the queen still has a surprise in store for her people.
According to British Queen Elizabeth II, Duchess Camilla is to bear the title of “Royal Wife” after Prince Charles ascends the throne. It was her “sincere wish” that Camilla would then be referred to as “Queen Consort”, the monarch announced on the eve of her 70th anniversary on Saturday. So far it was expected that the 74-year-old Camilla would only be dubbed “Prince Consort”.
Regarding the future reign of her 73-year-old son, the Queen said in a letter to the nation, “I know you will give him and Camilla the same support that you have given me”. The message makes it clear that the 95-year-old is making arrangements for the future of the monarchy after her death. Since October, she has largely withdrawn from the public eye due to health issues.
Queen changes her attitude towards Camilla
However, the move is also a sign that the Queen holds the Duchess of Cornwall in high esteem. This wasn’t always the case: the Queen did not attend the couple’s civil wedding in 2005, merely hosting a reception for the newlyweds.
Before the wedding, the couple’s extramarital affair had made headlines. To this day, some Britons have not forgiven Camilla for the role she played in the collapse of Charles and his first wife Diana’s marriage. However, the Duchess has since become a hard-working member of the royal family. Thanks to her casual down-to-earth attitude, she is also becoming increasingly popular with the general public.
Camilla and Charles ‘touched and honored’
Camilla and Charles were “touched and honored” by the Queen’s decision, a spokesman for the couple said. The heir to the throne had never made a secret of the fact that he would like Camilla to be his king’s wife.
British newspapers immediately put the news on the front pages. “Camilla will be queen,” wrote the Daily Mail. The Sunday Times reported the move ended “years of argument and confusion over Camilla’s future title.” The future name of Camillas had long been the subject of heated debate in Britain.
Elizabeth II celebrated her 70th anniversary on the throne on Sunday. However, there were no big celebrations, because the day of her accession to the throne is also the anniversary of the death of her father George VI. And the 95-year-old monarch traditionally celebrates this in private.
In her letter to the nation on Saturday night, the Queen said: “It is a day that, 70 years later, I still remember the death of my father, King George VI, as much as I remember the beginning of my reign.” Big celebrations don’t start until the beginning of June with a long weekend full of city festivals and a concert with top international stars.
accession to the throne 70 years ago
Elizabeth ascended the British throne on February 6, 1952. At the age of 95, the Queen is not only the longest reigning monarch, but also the oldest reigning monarch in the world. Not only in Britain, but worldwide, it enjoys the highest reputation and is considered a symbol of stability in changeable times.
In her letter, the Queen also paid tribute to her husband, Prince Philip, who died last year at the age of 99. He had given up his career in the British Navy when she ascended the throne. “I was blessed to have a partner in Prince Philip who was willing to assume the role of consort and make the selfless sacrifices that come with it,” said Elizabeth II.