Camilla has officially been referred to as Queen for the first time, with the title appearing on invitations for King Charles' coronation.
Camilla has been called Queen Consort since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September, but this is set to change following the ceremony on May 6 at Westminster Abbey. There had previously been speculation about what title Camilla would hold when Charles came to the throne, but the late Queen put rumours to rest last February when she said it was her "sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort".
The wives of monarchs have been known as Queen in previous centuries, and royal commentators had suggested that the title change may officially be introduced around the time of the coronation. This has now been confirmed to be the case, with the invitations reading: "The Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III & Queen Camilla – By Command of the King the Earl Marshall is directed to invite... to be present at the Abbey Church of Westminster on 6th day of May 2023."
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A royal family source revealed: "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. 'Queen Camilla' is the appropriate title to set against 'King Charles' on the invitation.
"The coronation is an appropriate time to start using 'Queen Camilla' in an official capacity," the source added. "All former Queen Consorts have been known as 'Queen' plus their first name."
Buckingham Palace also confirmed that the royal website will be updated following the coronation to reflect Camilla's title change, with Queen Consort set to be replaced with Queen Camilla. A new portrait of Charles and Camilla was released to mark the occasion, showing the pair smiling together in the Palace's blue drawing room.
Prince George is set to play an important role in his grandfather's coronation alongside seven other boys, who will all be named as Pages of Honour and will "attend their majesties during the coronation service". The group consists of close relatives or family friends of Charles and Camilla, including three of Camilla's grandchildren, and will be tasked with carrying the robes of prominent figures throughout the day.
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