Why King Charles' wife Camilla becomes Queen Consort & not the Queen? Know the difference

With the death of the world's second longest-reigning monarch on September 8, the crown was immediately passed on to her eldest son and heir, Charles, as part of the United Kingdom’s constitutional monarchy system. The death of Elizabeth II is likely to cause a huge cultural, social and political shift in Britain and, of course, in the Commonwealth countries. However, while it is clear that her son Charles will take over as the King, many are curious to understand the difference between the queen and Queen consort. 

Notably, with Charles becoming the King, his wife Camilla will now be formally known as Queen Consort, a title that came with Queen Elizabeth II's backing after years of contention. Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, will be known as Queen Consort, however, the title would not provide her any sovereign's powers. 

What does Queen Consort mean?

Earlier in February, the late Queen Elizabeth II in a message shared her wishes with public and announced that she wanted Camilla to have the title of Queen Consort when Charles becomes the King. In simple words, the title Queen Consort is the title of the wife of a reigning King. Notably, while wives of Kings are known as Queens Consort, the husbands of reigning Queens are known as Princes Consort.

The consort does not have a formal meaning in the royal family structure but is symbolic of the support the person gives to the monarch.

Why Camilla becomes Queen Consort and not the Queen?

Many believe that the title of Queen Consort is a compromised title to Camilla, the second wife of King Charles, majorly because of her complicated reputation in the general public and the sensitivity regarding her status. Camilla and Charles faced a lot of criticism for their affair and their long-running intimate relationship before and during Charles's marriage to Princess Diana, who was loved and admired in Britain a lot. In fact, Camilla was also married to Army officer Andrew Parker Bowles.

However, after decades of her marriage to King Charles, Camilla since Diana’s death improved her image in public opinion, but there is still much debate on the fact that whether she deserves the title of the Queen Consort or not.