But, now that we know Camilla will be the queen consort when Charles takes the throne, there’s the question of what it all means. After all, it has been 70 years since there has been a queen consort in the U.K. Read on to find out what will happen when Camilla takes on her new title. RELATED: Meghan & Harry May Skip Prince Philip’s Memorial for This Shocking Reason. Firstly, a queen consort has a different role than a queen. A king or queen is the person who becomes monarch due to being in line for the throne as the member of a royal family. The queen consort is the wife of the king. There is no such thing as a king consort, because, historically, a king outranks a queen, but the husband of the reigning monarch cannot outrank her. For that reason, Queen Elizabeth’s late husband, Prince Philip, could have been known as prince consort, but instead chose to be known by the title the Duke of Edinburgh.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb When Prince Charles is coronated as king, Camilla will be crowned queen consort. According to the royal family’s website, “The husband of a reigning Queen, unlike a Queen Consort, is not crowned or anointed at the coronation ceremony.” In fact, there has already been talk about which crown Camilla will wear during the coronation. The Daily Mail reported on Feb. 6 that Camilla will wear a platinum and diamond crown that belonged to the Queen Mother. The crown was made for her husband King George VI’s coronation in 1937. RELATED: For more royals news sent right to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. Members of the royal family become patrons of various causes and organizations. According to the Princes of Wales’ website, Camilla is currently the patron or president of 90 charities. These include The Royal Society of Literature, The National Theatre, and Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. As queen consort, Camilla will continue to travel, attend events, and support various causes on behalf of the royal family. The royal family website explains of previous consort Philip, “Prince Philip established a significant role for himself in his own right, creating an extensive and important portfolio, based on his personal interests, all of which he carried out in support of Her Majesty’s duties.” A royal source told the Daily Mail of Camilla’s work with the family, “She’s never once tried to overshadow her husband, she’s always played a supportive role to the Prince of Wales. He is her top priority. But she has also carved a role out for herself, has travelled hundreds of thousands of miles on thousands of engagements, taken on some really powerful causes such as violence against women, but is still cheerfully willing to go to the back-end of beyond to cut ribbons and shake hands.” Of course, Camilla and Charles are already each other’s companions as spouses, but the consort is considered the official companion of the monarch. “The role of The Queen’s consort is primarily to provide companionship and moral and practical support to the Monarch,” the royal family site explains. “The consort does not hold a formal position in the structure of government and The Duke did not see State papers or hold official audiences.” Speaking about what will happen when Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge becomes queen consort, royal expert Marlene Koenig told the Mirror, “There is no real constitutional role for a consort, just by tradition. She will be the first lady of the land, in terms of precedence.” If Charles were to die before Camilla during his reign, then Camilla would no longer be the queen consort. At that point, Prince William would become king and the Duchess of Cambridge would become queen consort. Camilla could then become known the queen dowager as the widow of the former king. Queen consorts can also take on the title queen regent if the heir to the throne is a child, but this will not be the case with Camilla since the next heir is Prince William. RELATED: Harry & Meghan Left the Royal Family After the Queen Did This, Sources Say.
