Will Camilla Be Crowned 'Queen' or 'Queen Consort' at the Coronation?

As the coronation of King Charles III approaches—having been announced to take place at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023—a number of questions about what form exactly the ceremony will take have arisen, along with the potentially controversial decision on how Queen Camilla will be crowned.

A press release from Buckingham Palace in October announced that the coronation ceremony "will reflect the monarch's role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry."

The announcement also made a special provision for Charles' wife, Camilla, saying: "The Ceremony will see His Majesty King Charles III crowned alongside The Queen Consort."

Whether Camilla will be referred to as "Queen" or "Queen Consort" during the ceremony poses a difficult decision for the king and clergy, either they can follow tradition by using just "queen," which could create backlash among a portion of the British people who dislike Camilla, or they can choose to break with the ancient coronation tradition and use "Queen Consort," highlighting Camilla's unique and controversial position.

Here, Newsweek answers a reader's question about whether Camilla will be crowned as "Queen" or "Queen Consort" in the coronation ceremony and why the answer may cause backlash among Brits.

What Is the Difference Between a 'Queen Consort' and 'Queen Regnant'?

Within the British system of a constitutional monarchy there are two classifications of queen.

A "Queen Regnant" is a queen who was born of royal blood and rules in her own right. This means she is the natural heir to their predecessor and therefore rules independently.

Two of Britain's most recent queen regnants have been Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II.

A "Queen Consort" is the wife of a king. She holds the title of queen by virtue of marriage as a courtesy title but does not hold any of the independent power associated with the crown.

As Camilla is the wife of a king and did not accede to the throne in her own right, she is a queen consort.

Why Does Buckingham Palace Refer to Camilla as Queen Consort?

When the then-Prince Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles in 2005, following a turbulent affair which saw both parties divorce their respective spouses, causing damage to their public reputations in the process, it was announced that when the royal became king, his new wife would assume the title of "Princess Consort."

This would have been a break with tradition which was chosen to appease the British public, who generally viewed Camilla with animosity for her role in the breakdown of Charles and Princess Diana's relationship in the 1990s.

Seventeen years after their marriage and Camilla's loyal service to the monarchy—as well as a warming of the public towards her—Queen Elizabeth II made known her wish that the princess consort plan be abandoned, so that when Charles would take on the role of king, Camilla "will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service."

Queen consort is the traditional title assumed by the wife of a king, customarily being known as The Queen or Queen [followed by their first name].

For previous queen consorts, such as Queen Mary or Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, the word "consort" was dropped soon after their accession, however, at present, Buckingham Palace continues to refer to Camilla in official communications only as "Queen Consort."

This is interpreted by some as a literal following of Queen Elizabeth II's wishes that Camilla be styled as such. A number of royal commentators, however, have suggested that "consort" will be dropped before or at the time of the coronation in May—in line with tradition.

When Was the Last Time a Queen Consort Was Crowned?

The last queen consort to be crowned during a coronation service in Britain was the wife of King George VI, who is mostly known by her later title of: Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.

At the coronation service at Westminster Abbey on May 12, 1937, Elizabeth was crowned after her husband had sworn his coronation oath and been crowned himself.

A queen consort does not swear an oath. She is, however, crowned, blessed and anointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Importantly, in the words spoken by the archbishop during this ceremony, the word "consort" is not used, the recipient is instead simply "queen."

For example, in 1937, the archbishop began his crowning of Elizabeth with the words: "Almighty God, the fountain of all goodness: Give ear, we beseech thee, to our prayers, and multiply thy blessings upon this thy servant ELIZABETH, whom in thy Name, with all humble devotion, we consecrate our Queen."

Will Camilla Be Crowned 'Queen' or 'Queen Consort' at the Coronation?

If the coronation service of King Charles III follows closely that of his grandfather King George VI, which many speculate that it will, then Camilla as his wife will be crowned using the same form of service used for the crowning of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.

If this be the case, Camilla would be referred to in the service simply as "Queen" not "Queen Consort," which is in line with tradition.

This could open the monarchy up to criticism from many who feel Camilla's actions in the 1990s during the breakdown of the marriage of Charles and Princess Diana should prevent her from being queen, also that this may be interpreted as going against the wishes of Elizabeth II who stated that the royal "be known as Queen Consort."

However, with the announcement from Buckingham Palace that the ceremony "will reflect the monarch's role today," there is the possibility that the coronation service could be adapted to include "Queen Consort." This would not only be a break with tradition, but also set Camilla apart from the spouses of other kings in style and title.

Newsweek approached Buckingham Palace for comment.

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