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Camilla, longtime love of King Charles and the UK’s new queen consort

With her husband’s accession to the throne following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, Camilla has become Queen Consort and will assume a new and more prominent role alongside King Charles III.

Just over 25 years after the death of Charles’ first wife Diana, Princess of Wales, Camilla remains a divisive figure in Britain.

Since she and Charles were married in 2005, Camilla has worked hard as a member of royalty, standing by Charles’ side and advocating for charities that help women and children. But many people find it hard to forget, or forgive, the couple’s long-standing romantic affair and the pain it caused Diana.

Netflix drama “The Crown” has brought this turbulent period into focus in recent seasons, introducing some viewers to Camilla and reminding others of her past.

So what can we expect from Britain’s new queen consort?

Camilla Shand was born in July 1947 and raised in the English countryside, where she developed a passion for horses.

She reportedly met Prince Charles at a polo match in Windsor in 1970, and they became friends. The following year, Charles joined the Royal Navy, and while he was away Camilla married cavalry officer Andrew Parker Bowles. The couple had two children during the 1970s.

Charles married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981 in a seemingly fairy tale ceremony and attended by millions of people around the world. But he admitted in 1994 that he was having an extramarital affair with Camilla.

Diana confirmed his and her infidelity the following year during a bombastic interview with the BBC, when she said: “there were three of us in this marriage so it was a little tumultuous”.

Camilla divorced Andrew Parker Bowles in 1995. Charles and Diana divorced the following year and Camilla virtually disappeared from public life as public and media support shifted to the princess’ side. Pro-Diana and anti-Camilla sentiment was compounded by the outpouring of sympathy for Diana after she died in a high-speed car accident in Paris in 1997.

In 1999, Clarence House embarked on a program to reintroduce Camilla to the public with a carefully orchestrated first appearance with Charles outside the Ritz Hotel in London. She moved into Clarence House to be with Charles and her name began to appear on official paperwork.

Six years later, the couple’s decades-long love story reached its climax when they were married in Windsor, with the Queen’s consent. Camilla, now known as Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall, has been confirmed as Charles’ official consort and future Queen of the United Kingdom.

The Duchess launched into life as a senior royal, supporting Charles on official engagements in the UK and on trips abroad despite her deep fear of flying. She quickly became an asset to the royal family and the British government with her common touch and ability to dissipate tension in a room.

“It’s always nice to have someone on your side,” Prince Charles told CNN in 2015. “She is a huge support. Best of all, we laughed a lot because she sees the funny side of life, thank God. If you think about it, it adds a lot to the whole thing.”

Camilla has also defined her own royal role, advocating close causes that touch her heart, such as children’s literacy and support for victims of domestic violence. she told the CNN during a visit to a women’s shelter in Bristol, England, in 2017, who managed to use her position to highlight the plight of “courageous women” who suffered at the hands of their partners. “Seeing is believing, hearing is believing,” she said.

The Duchess also worked to raise awareness of osteoporosis, a disease that affected both her mother and grandmother. “She is deeply touched by this,” Prince Charles told CNN in 2015.

He added: “I think she’s done wonderful things with the whole issue of violence against women, rape and sexual violence. I think it was quite remarkable what she did on that front. And again with all her literacy work, because she’s crazy about reading and her dad was a big reader and I think it encouraged her in that way, so she devours books of all kinds.”

“I’m very proud of her and in between all that, she tries to support me, which is wonderful of her,” said Charles.

As Camilla’s family grew, a new passion developed – for her grandchildren. “She is a professional grandmother,” one of her advisers told CNN in 2013.

The moment her husband became king, Camilla automatically became queen. However, it was long thought that she would not use the title, as Clarence House issued a statement in 2005 saying she would be known as “Princess Consort”.

At the time, some in the palace felt that the public was not ready for Camilla to receive a title that had been intended for Diana.

But over the years, attitudes toward Camilla have softened. In 2015, a survey by the CNN found that one in four Britons grew to like her, fewer and fewer people were opposed to her using the title of queen.

Then, in February 2022, the Queen used her Platinum Jubilee milestone to give her blessing for the Duchess of Cornwall to be known as Queen when the time came.

In a message commemorating the 70th anniversary of his accession to the British throne, she said: “When, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes king, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support you have given me; and it is my earnest wish that when the time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort, as she continues her own loyal service.”

In response, a spokesperson for Charles and Camilla said they were “touched and honored by Her Majesty’s words.”

It was an extremely significant intervention by the monarch, the only person who can define royal titles.

Elizabeth’s move to future-proof the monarchy emphasized that Camilla was no longer seen – neither publicly nor within the palace walls – as the royal mistress, but rather as a central figure at the heart of the “firm”.

Source: CNN Brasil

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