"Queen consort" or just "queen"? While coronations are largely ceremonial,
that's a big question officials will have to answer when Camilla
is officially crowned alongside her husband, King Charles III.
The September 2022 death of Queen Elizabeth II marked a sea change for the royal family,
the United Kingdom, and the world at large. Brooke Newman, a professor at
Virginia Commonwealth University, explained,
"Queen Elizabeth and the 1,000-year-old institution she embodied offered continuity
and reassurance in a rapidly changing world."
Britain's longest-serving queen was a widely beloved monarch. When her son,
King Charles III, took the throne following her passing,
there was instant pressure for him to fill his famous mother's shoes.
"It was the moment I've been dreading, as I know a lot of people have."
Some were hopeful that the 74-year-old would choose to pass the crown down to his son,
William, Prince of Wales, but that was not the path he chose to take.
Even though Charles took the throne immediately upon his mother's death, the BBC reports that his
official coronation ceremony has been scheduled for May 6, 2023, at Westminster Abbey. The
ceremony is more religious than anything else, with the Church of England formally recognizing
Charles as its leader. The coronation is largely symbolic, so it isn't even strictly
necessary. For example, King Edward VIII was never formally crowned before he abdicated the throne.
But even though the coronation won't necessarily mark any substantive changes for Charles,
it could signal a shift for someone very close to him. His wife, Camilla Parker Bowles,
may receive yet another new title following Charles' big day. Following the coronation,
there is a strong chance that Camilla will simply be referred to as Queen
Camilla rather than the lengthier title of "Camilla, Queen Consort."
In February 2022, about seven months before her death, Queen Elizabeth declared that
she'd like Camilla to become Queen Consort when Charles took the throne. She said,
"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
that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service."
Reader's Digest notes that the title of Queen Consort was not guaranteed to Camilla when
she originally married Charles in 2005. Following the wedding, the royal family
assured the public that when Charles took the throne, Camilla would be considered princess
consort rather than queen consort. While this may have been a knee-jerk reaction to
the very public affair the couple shared while Charles was still married to his first wife,
Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth changed her mind about the subject before she passed away.
Newsweek explains that it will be up to the Church of England and King Charles himself to determine
whether Camilla will be "queen consort" or simply "queen" when she's crowned at the coronation.
"The coronation weekend is going to be a time of bringing the country together."
While Camilla may be called queen after the coronation, it's important to note that simply
having the title would not mean she'd take on the same responsibilities Elizabeth had. The
rights and privileges of a queen who gains the title through blood are much different
than those of a consort who earns the title through marriage. This title is an honor,
and while Camilla will continue to do her current royal duties,
she will not have to take on any new responsibilities following the coronation.
This would not be the first time a title change came after a coronation ceremony. Queen Elizabeth
queen mother" so as not to confuse the public about who was wearing the crown.