King Charles’ sign of equality with Queen Camilla came back in June when he ensured a special privilege was granted for a huge royal occasion.
- His Majesty likely at least gave his approval for who was traveling in the carriages at Ascot 2023 and Queen Camilla’s sister had pride of place.
- Annabel Elliot sat next to Princess Anne and the choice to have Their Majesties’ sisters arriving together could be seen as very meaningful.
- This royal news comes as Kate Middleton paired a white lace Wimbledon dress with the cutest Anya Hindmarch wicker clutch bag and we're obsessed.
This year has been full of firsts for King Charles, who rose to the challenge in his first Trooping the Color parade and recently received his first visit from US President Joe Biden at Windsor Castle. 2023 has also been equally momentous for Queen Camilla who’s been at his side every step of the way as he’s settled into his reign. King Charles has already made major decisions that have affected the Queen, including appointing her to the Order of the Thistle in June.
But King Charles’ sign of equality with Queen Camilla just a few days later might have gone unnoticed by some. He likely played a part in ensuring a special privilege was granted to Her Majesty for their first Royal Ascot as King and Queen Consort.
Whilst the royal couple attended every single day of the week-long racing event, Day 1 saw Queen Camilla’s sister Annabel Elliot arrive in style too. She took a key role in the coronation as one of the Queen’s two Ladies in Attendance and 2023 is believed to have been her Royal Ascot debut.
Annabel arrived at Royal Ascot in a carriage and this was certainly her first time arriving this way. Although she wasn’t seated with Queen Camilla herself, King Charles’ sign of equality saw both of their sisters arriving together. The decision for Annabel to arrive in a carriage sitting next to such a senior royal showcased His Majesty’s determination to fully include and honor Queen Camilla’s family. Having both their sisters together could also be seen as especially significant given his immense respect for Princess Anne.
During the coronation weekend she appeared on his direct right hand side in a group portrait featuring working royals and it was claimed Princess Anne’s coronation portrait position was “no accident”.
Opening up to MailOnline, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams alleged, “It shows how much he appreciates her and how much he will be relying on her, she is extremely popular and has a high profile. People know who she is and respect her, that's very important.”
Given King Charles’ “respect” for Princess Anne that came shining through in her “proximity” to him in the portrait, it seems that he’s very aware of how decisions such as positioning of people send a message and reflect his appreciation for them.
It’s likely that as monarch he had at least approved of the carriage occupants for Ascot 2023 and placing Annabel beside his own sister who means so much to him was a huge privilege. Queen Camilla is understood to be incredibly close to her sister so having them next to each other could also have possibly been a tribute to their bond that mirrors his with Princess Anne.
It’s not known when Annabel could next join the Royal Family in public, though it’s likely fans could continue to see more of her going forwards.
