Camilla has completed an astonishing transformation from royal mistress to Her Majesty the Queen.
Charles automatically became King on his mother’s death and his devoted second wife is now Queen Consort.
There was once a time when bestowing Camilla with the highest royal title would have been problematic.
Camilla was blamed by some for the dissolution of Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales’ marriage.
And when the news of their romance initially surfaced, Camilla was met with vicious abuse. It took the people some time to embrace her after Diana’s death in 1997, and when she wed Charles in 2005, the question of her future title was controversial.
Royal advisers said at the time that Camilla did not want to be recognised as Queen Consort, despite being entitled to the title.
She ‘intended’ to be recognised as Princess Consort when the time came, a title never previously used in British history.
She is now one of the most popular members of the Royal Family and a fully-fledged member of ‘The Firm’ due to her remarkable transformation.
In February, Queen Elizabeth II made public her support for her future daughter-in-law to assume the title of Queen Consort.
In her Platinum Jubilee speech to the country, the queen expressed her ‘sincere wish’ to assume the crown. The Daily Mail disclosed that Queen Elizabeth approved Camilla’s coronation as Queen Consort many years ago and that Charles came close to announcing it in 2019.
The Queen picked the 70th anniversary of her accession to the monarchy to make the announcement and convey her wish for Camilla to be properly recognised when Charles became king.
She told the nation: ‘When, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes King, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me, and it is my sincere wish that, when the time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service.’
Camilla subsequently said that the public seal of approval made her feel “very honoured and very touched.”
In recent years, her progressive advancement within the Royal Family has allowed her to attend the State Opening of Parliament. She was appointed a Privy Counsellor in 2016, thus she will be at Charles’ side when he is officially declared king at the Accession Council.
Camilla has carved out her own royal position via her efforts promoting reading and publicising the scourge of domestic abuse and sexual assault. She has even won over the media with her humour, love to her spouse, and sense of civic responsibility.
Camilla will be crowned alongside Charles at his coronation, just as the Queen Mother was previously.
She is anticipated to wear the Queen Mother’s 1937 coronation crown: a Queen by the side of the new King.