- Camilla will be referred to as ‘Queen Consort’ when Charles becomes King.
- Author believes deal was struck between now-King Charles and his mother, the Queen, before her death.
- The monarch agreed to assist Andrew in exchange for Camilla accepting the throne.
King Charles and the late Queen Elizabeth struck a major deal in the year before her death that ensured Camilla and Prince Andrew’s roles in the royal family, according to a royal expert.
Queen Elizabeth, the longest-reigning British monarch until her death in September this year at the age of 96, announced earlier this year in January that Charles’ wife Camilla would be referred to as ‘Queen Consort’ when he becomes King.
While the move surprised royal watchers at the time, royal author Christopher Andersen believes it was part of a ‘deal’ struck between now-King Charles and his mother, the Queen, in which the monarch agreed to assist Andrew in exchange for Camilla accepting the throne.
Andersen told the magazine that while the Queen wanted to ‘dip into her personal pocket’ to settle Prince Andrew’s sex abuse case, it turned out to be the ideal way for Charles to get his wish.
Andersen explained that the Queen giving money to Andrew “meant, really—because Charles just was going to be the heir—that this was also money that would’ve come to him eventually.”
“While Charles could have objected, he decided this would be the perfect time to endorse Camilla as a Queen Consort,” he continued.
Andersen added, “In a kind of an unspoken implicit deal, this was the trade-off… And that announcement was made … it was very abrupt, you may recall, it was something that took everybody by surprise.”
“The Queen was so against Camilla ever becoming queen for decades and decades, that it, it was a complete about-face, and that I think shocked a lot of people,” he concluded.
In her official endorsement of Camilla as Queen Consort in January 2022, Queen Elizabeth stated, “When, in due course, 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 hope that when the time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort while continuing her own loyal service.”
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