Following the news that King Charles was at 75-years of age, diagnosed with cancer of the cancer diagnosis citizens of the UK and media outlets began grappling with the question what would become of Camilla, if the king dies.
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According to royal experts, Camilla would be able to keep some of her duties like Queen Mother Mary had done after the passing of King George VI and even after Queen Elizabeth's coronation. King Charles is expected to decide on the Queen's role after his passing, but the decision ultimately rests with the next monarch, just as it did with Queen Elizabeth II.
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What will happen to Camilla the day after King Charles?
(Photo: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Despite doctors expressing optimism regarding the king's chances for a full recovery, his reign has becom unstable and the future of his wife's role as Queen is in doubt.
In Britain, there are already those who address the elephant in the room and ask what will happen to Camilla if the king dies or worse, abdicates.
As far as Charles' successor is concerned, the issue was solved in 1982 when Prince William, his eldest son, was born. He will step into his royal shoes and be crowned the next king of England. William was the preferred choice of his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, who was reportedly considering transferring the crown directly to him and skipping Charles altogether. However, the latter had been waiting to sit on the throne all his life, so it was clear to everyone that this would not have been a good move.
The royal experts believe that Charles is certainly expected to state his intentions and desires for Camilla's future very soon, but the one who will ultimately decide will be Prince William, who once he is crowned king will be entitled to determine if Queen Consort Camilla would still keep that title.
The Queen Mother (mother of the Queen Elizabeth II’s) kept that title until she passed at age 101,” says Joe Little, managing editor of "Majesty" magazine.
Moreover, with William's ascension to the throne, his wife, Kate Middleton, would automatically become queen, and as the mother of Prince George - the heir to the throne and the next king of England, she would have tremendous control, both in the royal sphere and in public life.
When Charles will die, Camilla would have to vacate Buckingham Palace and live in one of the royal houses, to be determined by the new king, according to royal historian Carolyn Harris.
Opinions regarding Camilla both in the British public and also in the royal family are divided. a No matter how hard she tries, Camilla will forever be Charle's mistress who betrayed the beloved Princess Diana and made her life miserable.
But William is well aware of the fact that Camilla was his father's first and eternal love, so there may be a fairly high probability that he will allow her to keep the title "Queen Dowager."
Charles waited his whole life to be king, so the option that he would give up the crown is unlikely. The king is expected to fulfill his duties until his last days, just as it was with his late mother, who filled her duties as queen from the day she was crowned on February 6, 1952 until the day she passed away on September 8, 2022, and ruled England with a firm hand for all those years.