The thought of a losing a spouse is practically unfathomable, a not something one would like to discuss, but when it comes to the royals, they need to plan ahead.
Charles married Princess Diana in 1981, but it was well-known that Camilla was his real love, it’s been said (Image: Getty Images for Buckingham Palace)
King Charles and Queen Camilla have been off and on since the 1970s, when they first met, and made it officially-official in 2005 when they were married during a civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall.
When Queen Elizabeth II passed away, on September 8, 2022, Charles ascended the throne, becoming King and Camilla stepping into the role of Queen Consort, which is the official term for the wife of the reigning king. Eight months later, as part of the coronation, Camilla’s title was changed from Queen Consort to Queen on May 6, 2023.
If Charles were to die, Camilla’s royal title would change from Queen to Queen Dowager, which is the title given to the widow of the king.
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Camilla would retain the title of Queen, but adding Dowager to it would make room for the incoming King and Queen, which in this case, would most likely be Prince William and Princess Kate.
We say “most likely” because William is the heir, but if something were to happen to him, then William’s eldest son, Prince George, would be next in line to the throne.
Camilla has had a huge impact on Charles, for the better, which has been widely reported (Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
In those early days, following Queen Elizabeth’s death, Camilla was referred to as Queen Consort, but slowly but surely, people began to refer to as Queen Camilla.
A source spoke to CNN, who said: “It made sense to refer to Her Majesty as the Queen Consort in the early months of His Majesty’s reign, to distinguish from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”
The source added: “The coronation is an appropriate time to start using ‘Queen Camilla’ in an official capacity.”
“All former queen consorts have been known as ‘Queen’ plus their first name.”
Charles and Camilla have been married for 20 years
Cosmopolitan’s Mehera Bonner talked about what life would be like for Camilla, if Charles were to die.
She said: “Camilla would still enjoy the fancy vibes and importance of her former title without actually being Queen Consort anymore, due to another monarch and their spouse – in this case, Prince William and Kate Middleton – occupying the throne.”
Right now, Charles and Camilla split their time between London and Sandringham, living in Clarence House while in the capital and Sandringham House when in the country.
King Charles will make plans for Camilla before he dies
There’s been talk of Charles wanting Royal Lodge for Camilla, if and when he passes, hence why he’s asking his brother, Prince Andrew, to vacate, but Andrew continues to refuse. No matter what is decided beforehand, USA TODAY’s Marco della Cava points out the decisions are ultimately up to the new monarch.
He said: “The complicated reality is that while Charles will have certainly spelled out his wishes for his wife in great detail, the reigning monarch, in this case King William, ultimately controls how much or how little a role Camilla would have in her later years.”
He added: “What’s more, upon William’s ascension to the throne, his wife, Princess Kate, would become queen.”
“As the mother of Prince George, the future monarch, Kate holds tremendous sway, both in royal standing and public affection.”
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