Camilla will be known as Queen, rather than Queen Consort, after her and King Charles III’s coronation, it has been reported.
The royal’s future title appears to have been confirmed in the coronation edition of the Bible that is set to be released ahead of the ceremony in May. In it, it apparently refers to the coronation of “their majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla”.
The name Queen Consort is given to the spouse of a king rather than the Queen Regnant who is the female monarch.
According to The Mirror, the coronation edition of the Bible reads: “To commemorate the Coronation of their majesties King Charles lll and Queen Camilla. In the Abbey Church of St Peter. Westminster. The sixth day of May 2023.”
Before her death, the late Queen Elizabeth II expressed her “sincere wish” that “when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service”.
But earlier this year, “insiders” at Buckingham Palace suggested that the royal may get rid of the “cumbersome” title of Queen Consort for the “simpler” title of Queen.
A source was quoted by the Daily Mail as saying: “There’s a view in the palace that Queen Consort is cumbersome and it might be simpler for Camilla to be known just as the Queen when the time is right.”
They added: “Prince Philip was Prince Consort officially but he wasn’t known as Prince Consort. The Queen would of course still be Queen Consort so the Palace, of course, wouldn’t stop anyone calling Her Majesty that if they so chose.”
Following Charles’ accession to the throne last September, there have been many changes to royal titles, including Prince William and Kate Middleton becoming the Prince and Princess of Wales and, more recently, Prince Edward taking the late Prince Philip’s title of the Duke of Edinburgh.
Edward’s new dukedom means his wife Sophie is the new Duchess of Edinburgh, while his old title, the Earl of Wessex, has been handed down to his son James, who was previously Viscount Severn.
In addition, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s children, Lilibet and Archie, are now officially referred to as Princess and Prince, as their grandparent is now a monarch.
When Charles and Camilla became engaged in February 2005, Buckingham Palace said in a statement that Camilla would use the title HRH The Princess Consort when Charles became king.
But this changed when the late Queen announced during her platinum jubilee celebrations last year that she wanted Camilla to be known as Queen Consort.
However, officials at Buckingham Palace are reportedly looking to the past for historical examples of dropping the word “Consort” from the title, including the titles used for the King’s grandfather’s wife.
King George VI’s wife, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, was Queen Consort but became known as Queen Elizabeth when her husband was crowned and later became Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother after his death.
The Independent has contacted Buckingham Palace for comment.
