What is a Queen Consort?
With the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, many people in America have been exposed to the complex and confusing interworkings of the royal family for the first time in their lives. The politics, the succession, the ceremonies. It is all a lot to keep up with. Hopefully, this article will be able to clear things up when it comes to the new Queen Consort.
What Is A Queen Consort?
The new King, the son of the previous Queen, Charles has now ascended to the throne and that means his wife Camilla, will now be Queen Consort. But what exactly is a Queen Consort?
A Queen Consort is really just a fancy title for the King's wife. There is no wage or financial compensation for the role and there are no job expectations. But, similar to the First Lady to an American president, the Queen Consort will likely be spotted attending charities and public events. The things that you would expect out of the Royals. As it stands, Camilla is already involved in over 90 separate charities.
Camila will be the first Queen Consort since 1952 when King George VI died thus making Queen Elizabeth (the first) the Queen Mother.
Who Is Camila?
Camilla and King Charles have been married for more than 15 years so it is unlikely that she will be doing anything out of her comfort zone. She is no stranger to the limelight and has been at the center of many previous dramas and scandals, especially concerning Princess Diana.
Dianna personally blamed Camilla for putting strain on her relationship with Prince Charles who officially divorced her in 1996. Only one year before her death.
Born into a rich and affluent family since birth, there is no question that Camilla is quite custom to the lavish lifestyle that is often associated with the Royal Family. Camilla and Charles first met in the 1970s and would have an on-and-off relationship with one another before finally tying the knot in 2005.
What Does The Future Look Like For Camilla?
The title of Queen Consort is a title that has been denied to Camila for a long time. Up until 2020, the Queen was adamant that she would not become Queen Consort and would remain only a duchess. However, it would appear that Queen Elizabeth in her final days had a change of heart and made it clear that she wished for Camila to claim the prestigious title after all these years.
While Camila might have been able to climb the ranks of royal titles, she will never actually be Queen of England. Queen Consort and Queen are two very different things.
If King Charles III were to die or abdicate the throne, Camila would not become Queen. This is because she has no children with Charles, and there is already a clear line of succession. The crown would be passed down to Prince William. In fact, if Charles dies before Camila her status of Queen Consort will be then downgraded to Queen Dowager.
Queen Dowager is another term for the widow of the King. Her ambiguous duties will most likely remain the same until she too passes away.
She will be crowned in a ceremony along with her husband, but her crown will not share the same weight. While there is a raging debate about how much power the Royals really have in England, there is no doubt that her role will be more of a figurehead than as an actual sovereign.
Summary
The English Royal Family has a long and complex history. It is no easy task to try and keep up with all the drama as of late. Especially for those who are not already well acquainted. King Charles III will be the first monarch in over 70 years and the sudden change in leadership will surely turmoil for everyone involved.
The entire institution of the Monarchy has been called into question since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II not only in England itself but in Commonwealth countries like Canada and Australia too. The next few years will certainly be an interesting time to observe the fallout caused by the death of one of the longest-reigning monarchs in history.
