“And when, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes king, I know that you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me,” adds the queen. The term “consort” applies to the husband or wife of a reigning monarch. Theoretically, therefore, Camilla was to become queen. But her future title had been the subject of long debate and strong controversy when she married Prince Charles in 2005, with some advisers saying she had no intention of being queen, preferring to be known as ” princess’ consort – a first in the history of the British monarchy.
Disliked
The couple had married civilly, seven years after the death of Princess Diana. At the time the queen did not come to the wedding, to which she had hardly consented, however organizing a reception for the newlyweds. Camilla, 74, has long been unloved, seen by many Britons as the one who broke Prince Charles’ fairytale marriage, of which she was mistress, to Princess Diana. She has never taken the title of Princess of Wales, too associated with Diana, who had nicknamed her the “Rottweiler”.
But Queen Elizabeth II has over the years learned to appreciate this woman who was the great love of Charles’s life, 73 years old. Very devoted to the monarchy, she has become an essential cog in the royal family, with a multitude of commitments. Its laid-back simplicity slowly won over the British. Prince Charles had made no secret that he wanted her to be known as a queen consort.
“Hope and Optimism”
At the very beginning of the year, Queen Elizabeth II had already named her Dame of the Order of the Garter. Elizabeth II has largely withdrawn from public life since suffering health problems in October. Two appearances before her Platinum Jubilee on Sunday showed her frail and walking slowly. His message is also a reflection on his life, and on the changes that marked his 70 years of reign, a record for a living monarch.