From pariah to the future Queen Consort: Camilla's rare royal transformation

Author: Editors Desk Source: CBC News:

July 24, 2022 at 18:29

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, attends the 40th anniversary of the Falkland conflict in Portsmouth, England, on Thursday. (Eddie Mulholland/Reuters)

Recent events have cemented stature of Duchess of Cornwall within Royal Family

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It is a royal evolution with few — if any — precedents.

And recent events have further cemented the stature of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, within the Royal Family.

Observers have long been noting how she has gradually gained more acceptance from a public that held little warmth for her — or saw her as a pariah — before her marriage to Prince Charles, given her ongoing involvement with him during his ultimately doomed marriage to Diana, Princess of Wales.

A significant seal of royal approval came earlier this year when Queen Elizabeth said it was her "sincere wish" that Camilla be known as Queen Consort when the time comes.

As Camilla marked a milestone birthday a few days ago, further focus was cast upon her — with magazine covers, a TV documentary in the U.K. and headlines along the lines of The Telegraph's: "As 'charming' Camilla turns 75, the future Queen Consort's long probation is finally over."

"Whatever else, 30 years since Charles and Diana announced their marriage was ending and 17 years since Camilla wed the future King, the Duchess of Cornwall's future role in the monarchy has been secured," Chris Ship, royal editor for ITV, wrote on the network's website.

Two people leave a church after a church blessing of their civil wedding ceremony. — Prince Charles and Camilla leave St. George's Chapel in Windsor, England, on April 9, 2005, following the church blessing of their civil wedding ceremony. (Alastair Grant/The Associated Press)

Tina Brown, a longtime royal chronicler and author of the recently released book The Palace Papers, says the Queen's statement earlier this year regarding Camilla's future title was shrewd.

"She did that really as a kind of estate planning," Brown told the CBC's Andrew Chang recently. "She did that as saying, 'Charles, let me take this off the table [as] a controversy when you take over. I'll now announce her to be Queen, because once it has my blessing, you know, you're not going to see much protest about that.'"

Brown considers herself a "big fan" of Camilla.

"Talk about stalwarts, talk about stoic. And that's really what the Queen was recognizing when she said that she could be Queen coming up."

The Queen has seen that Camilla has been "absolutely supportive" and loyal during her marriage to Charles, Brown said.

"She has done every royal duty she's been required to do with grace and charm."