Queen Elizabeth II celebrated the 70th anniversary of her reign by looking into the future.
On Sunday, the monarch renewed the pledge she made on her 21st birthday to devote her entire life to the service of the U.K. and the Commonwealth. She also remembered the death of her father, King George VI, which elevated her to the throne. However, it was her comments about Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, that stirred headlines.
“When, in the fullness of time, 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 wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service,” said the 95-year-old.
Royal historian Robert Lacey revealed that there’s a special reason that the monarch is backing Camilla.
Queen Elizabeth II and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall arrive in a horse carriage on day two of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse on June 19, 2019, in Ascot, England.
(Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
“In the message, she was acknowledging her own mortality and looking to the future,” he explained to People magazine on Tuesday. “As she thought about her father George VI, she would have also thought about her mother and the importance she played as a partner to him. And then, of course, with the passing of Prince Philip, she is considering the sacrifices and difficulties of being a consort.”
“Some people might have thought she would look backwards over her reign with this message, but she was in fact looking forwards in a positive way,” he added.
The queen herself noted the importance of having a supportive partner by one’s side as a royal.
“I am fortunate to have had the steadfast and loving support of my family,” she said. “I was blessed that, in Prince Philip, I had a partner willing to carry out the role of consort and unselfishly make the sacrifices that go with it. It is a role I saw my own mother perform during my father’s reign.”
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Queen Elizabeth II (right) reflected on the importance of having a supportive partner as a royal.
(Getty Images)
It took years for many in Britain to forgive Charles, whose admitted infidelity and long-time links to Camilla torpedoed his marriage to Princess Diana. The mother of Princes William and Harry died in a Paris car crash in 1997 at age 36, five years after her messy, public split from Charles, now 73.
But the public mood has softened since Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles in 2005.
The duchess, 74, has taken on roles at more than 100 charities, focusing on a wide range of issues including promoting literacy, supporting victims of domestic violence and helping the elderly.
Her down-to-Earth style and sense of humor won many over, and it also softened Charles’s image. The Prince of Wales appears more relaxed, if not happier, during his royal outings and he waits for his chance to reign.
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“We are deeply conscious of the honour represented by my mother’s wish,” said Prince Charles about his mother Queen Elizabeth II. “As we have sought together to serve and support Her Majesty and the people of our communities, my darling wife has been my own steadfast support throughout.’’
(Photo by Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage via Getty Images)
Charles has long made it clear that he wants Camilla to be known as queen when he ultimately succeeds his mother on the throne. In his message congratulating his mother’s long years of service, Charles thanked her for her support.
Back in 2019, True Royalty TV launched a documentary titled “The Real Camilla,” which aimed to give an intimate look at the royal’s life, as well as insight into her enduring love and partnership with Charles. The film followed Camilla for a year as she embarked on official tours, as well as chronicled her private downtime in Scotland. It also featured interviews with those closest to her, including her nephew Ben Elliot.
At the time, producer Juliet Rice told Fox News Digital that Camilla would make an ideal Queen Consort for Charles.
“She’s an incredibly good listener,” said Rice. “She and Prince Charles support each other brilliantly. Even during public appearances, they have a real synergy together. It’s rather lovely to see. And they have a real laugh together. It’s quite something, doing the job that they do. And they do it brilliantly together. They’re a really strong double act.”
QUEEN BACKS PLAN TO ONE DAY CALL SON’S WIFE ‘QUEEN CAMILLA’
Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall married on April 9, 2005.
(Mario Testino via Clarence House via AP)
“She’s also very discreet,” continued Rice. “Everyone in the film said she’s absolutely his rock. She’s also very down-to-Earth. She’s a real British countrywoman. She loves her dogs, she loves her horses, she likes her gardening and she’s incredibly relatable for that reason. She’s not grand in any way. And she’s also a real giggle. She and Charles have great fun together, which is one of the best ingredients for a good marriage.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
