The Duchess of Cornwall is to take the title Queen Consort at the point that Prince Charles becomes King, as is tradition.
It is not unusual for the King’s wife to be given this title, but a Queen’s husband is not. So why is this, and what does the Queen say about the matter in her Platinum Jubilee year? Here’s everything you need to know.
In a statement released ahead of her Jubilee, which marks her historic 70 years on the throne, the Queen said it was her “sincere wish” that Camilla, a divorcee who was married to Andrew Parker Bowles before her marriage to Prince Charles, will be known as Queen Consort when the time comes.
Camilla has not released a formal statement reacting to the Queen’s announcement but Prince Charles has issued an official response.
In a message congratulating the Queen on the “remarkable achievement of serving this nation”, he wrote: “We are deeply conscious of the honour represented by my mother’s wish.
“As we have sought together to serve and support Her Majesty and the people of our communities, my darling wife has been my own steadfast support throughout.”
The title of Queen is reserved for the female monarch who has inherited the throne directly. So instead of the spouse of the King becoming Queen, it is royal convention for the wife of a British monarch to be given the title Queen Consort.
It had been thought Camilla would be Princess Consort, as there have been negative perceptions over her affair with Prince Charles, and because of the incredible level of public adoration for his first wife, Diana.
The public are not so sure about Camilla becoming Queen. Recent polling data from YouGov shows that 42 per cent of people think the Duchess of Cornwall should have the title Princess Consort, with just 14 per cent were in favour of her becoming Queen.
Over the course of British history, the husband of a Queen has never held the title of King. Men who are married to British Queens do not become King, they can only hold the title of Prince Consort – rather than King Consort.
This has been the case since Victoria’s reign when she created the title of Prince Consort for her husband Albert. However, the Duke of Edinburgh did not hold this title as he chose to reject it in the early years of the Queen’s reign.
Prince Philip was known only as the Duke of Edinburgh for several years after the Queen ascended the throne in 1952. Instead, in 1957, the Queen made the decision to make Philip a Prince of the United Kingdom, in addition to Duke of Edinburgh – echoing Victoria’s decision to grant the title to Albert.
From then on he was frequently referred to as Prince Philip as well as the Duke of Edinburgh. The change in title did not mean a different role, however, with Prince Philip still expected to take a leading place on royal tours and ceremonial duties.
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