Despite her charitable work and devotion to the Crown, Queen Camilla spent years struggling to shake the perception of being the "other woman." Her longtime relationship with Prince Charles, once a shocking affair that captivated the world—and played out against the heartbreak of Princess Diana's death—made the now-Queen one of the most controversial figures in modern royal history. But the tides have quietly shifted over the past decade, and one member of the Royal Family played a huge part in defining Camilla's role.
In 2022, Queen Camilla made a remarkable public statement in support of her daughter-in-law Camilla to mark her own 70th anniversary of becoming Queen. Reflecting on when her son Charles would take the throne, the late monarch wrote, "And 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."
Royal biographer Robert Jobson told the Express that Charles and Camilla's "story took a defining turn when Queen Elizabeth II, in a move of strategic foresight, secured Camilla’s place in history" through this statement.
"By welcoming her into the Privy Council and publicly expressing her hope that Camilla would be styled Queen Consort, the late Queen reshaped both royal tradition and public perception," he added.
One of The King's former butlers, Grant Harrold, agreed, telling the publication that Queen Elizabeth's public support of Camilla "was a huge thing to happen."
He continued that "for The Queen to publicly say it, it was almost mostly to assure those who may question it and to assure The Queen was behind it all. If the Queen was behind it, everyone was behind it."
Including Queen Camilla as one of the Counsellors of State "is a big deal," the former butler added. If The King was unable to fulfill his duties, Camilla could step in to carry out functions like signing documents, attending meetings and receiving ambassadors—a concept that would have been unbelievable to many not very long ago.
Of course, Queen Elizabeth's backing was hugely significant, but Queen Camilla's popularity has also steadily increased thanks to her ongoing charitable work. Through dedication to her patronages, championing causes like domestic violence awareness, animal adoption and literacy, Camilla has won over even some of her harshest critics.
