Queen Elizabeth Confirms She'd Like Camilla to Be Queen Once Prince Charles Becomes King

Queen Elizabeth officially wants Camilla to be Queen.

The Queen confirmed her wish on Saturday for Prince Charles' wife to get the title when her husband eventually becomes King.

Queen Elizabeth, 95, made her feelings known in a message timed to the eve of her Accession Day that this year marks the 70th anniversary of her becoming Monarch. She is the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee.

She writes that "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."

The title had long been open to question as, originally, when she married Prince Charles in 2005, it was said that she would be known as Princess Consort. However, the Queen's intervention is a significant one as it indicates that Camilla will be crowned alongside her husband when the time comes.

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A spokesman for the Prince of Wales says the couple is "touched and honored by Her Majesty's words."

There have been frequent question marks over whether most people would accept Camilla as Queen in light of her role in the unhappy marriage of Charles to Princess Diana in the early 1990s.

The monarch made the point for Camilla when referring to her beloved Prince Philip, who died in April last year, noting that she was "blessed that in Prince Philip I had a partner willing to carry out the role of consort and unselfishly make the sacrifices that go with it." She also used the occasion to thank the people of Britain and around the world in the Commonwealth for their support, and signed it, "Your Servant, Elizabeth R."

"As we mark this anniversary, it gives me pleasure to renew to you the pledge I gave in 1947 that my life will always be devoted to your service," her statement began.

"As I look ahead with a sense of hope and optimism to the year of my Platinum Jubilee, I am reminded of how much we can be thankful for. These last seven decades have seen extraordinary progress socially, technologically and culturally that have benefitted us all; and I am confident that the future will offer similar opportunities to us and especially to the younger generations in the United Kingdom and throughout the Commonwealth."

"I am fortunate to have had the steadfast and loving support of my family."

"I was blessed that in Prince Philip I had a partner willing to carry out the role of consort and unselfishly make the sacrifices that go with it. It is a role I saw my own mother perform during my father's reign."

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"This anniversary also affords me a time to reflect on the goodwill shown to me by people of all nationalities, faiths and ages in this country and around the world over these years. I would like to express my thanks to you all for your support. I remain eternally grateful for, and humbled by, the loyalty and affection that you continue to give me."

"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."

"And so as I look forward to continuing to serve you with all my heart, I hope this Jubilee will bring together families and friends, neighbours and communities – after some difficult times for so many of us – in order to enjoy the celebrations and to reflect on the positive developments in our day-to-day lives that have so happily coincided with my reign."

Robert Lacey, historian and royal commentator, said, "This was the big remaining question mark and it has now been resolved, and any consent from the Prime Minister of the day for the title is a formality."

Lacey added, "Some people might have thought she would look backwards over her reign with this message, but she was in fact looking forwards in a positive way."

"In the message, she was acknowledging her own mortality and looking to the future. As she thought about her father George VI, she would have also thought about her mother and the importance she played as a partner to him. And then, of course, with the passing of Prince Philip, she is considering the sacrifices and difficulties of being a consort."

In fact, things have been moving toward this for Camilla. The Duchess of Cornwall was made a member of the Order of the Garter late last year, and the Queen made her a member of her Privy Council in 2016.

The release of Queen Elizabeth's message came at the end of a day that saw her host a small reception for local charities and organizations close to her Sandringham estate, in Norfolk, England.

A weekend of festivities to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee is planned for June. Beginning on June 2, events will include Trooping the Colour (the annual public festivities for the Queen's birthday), the lighting of Platinum Jubilee beacons, a service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul's Cathedral, the Derby at Epsom Downs, a live concert called "Platinum Party at the Palace," the Big Jubilee Lunch, and the Platinum Jubilee Pageant.