Queen Elizabeth II gave the go-ahead this Saturday for Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, to become queen consort when Prince Charles becomes king.
In a message on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of her reign, Elizabeth II said that it was her “sincere wish” that Camila, 74, be considered for that noble title.
“Queen consort” refers to the wife of a ruling king and does not have the same powers as a queen, who is considered a head of state.
Previously, when she married Carlos in 2005, it had been said that Camila would be a “princess consort” – and not a queen – when her husband became monarch.
But in message for her Platinum Jubilee, Elizabeth II stated that “when that time comes”, Camila should become the “queen consort”.
“It is my sincerest wish that, when that time comes, Camila will be known as queen consort,” the text reads.
A Clarence House spokesman said the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall were “moved and honoured” by the queen’s words.
The message from Elizabeth II, which marks her accession to the throne in 1952, resolved one of the most frequent questions of the royal house: the future title of the Duchess of Cornwall when the current queen dies.
The statement makes it clear that the Queen still holds the promise of a lifetime of public service, originally made in 1947 when she was 21 years old.
Isabel’s personal endorsement follows her New Year’s announcement that Camila would become a member of the Order of the Garter, the highest order of chivalry.
On Sunday, Elizabeth becomes the first monarch in British history to achieve a Platinum Jubilee. It is expected to be a private day, with no public appearances.
The Queen said it was a day that “even following 70 years, I still remember both the death of my father, King George VI, and the beginning of my reign.”
