The Duchess of Cornwall stepped out for events this week, following this past weekend’s big announcement about her future “Queen Consort” status. She made a trip to Bath, and she hosted a reception for the British Equestrian teams from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic Games. She seemed… whatever, fine at both appearances. I mean, I’m reading her expression as somewhat smug, but honestly, I hate-respect this old winebag. She played the game and won. She’ll be queen, and all it took was the destruction of two marriages and the gaslighting and death of a young woman thrown to the wolves.
Even after all of that, no one can really agree if Camilla actually “won.” The Daily Mail has a blaring headline about how Camilla is suddenly more popular than ever, but of course none of these polls are scientific.
A tale of two polls on the Queen Camilla issue 👇
👑 Daily Mail: 55% YES to Queen consort role, 28% NO
👑 Daily Mirror: 33% YES to Queen consort role, 67% NO#QueenCamilla #queenconsort pic.twitter.com/QEqllYsaHQ— Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) February 9, 2022
All this shows, to me, is that the British media has a vested interest in making “Queen Camilla” happen, because if they admit that the Windsors are a complete sh-tshow – or worse yet, utterly boring – then they’re the ones with declining sales and no jobs.
This is a few days old, but Rebecca English had an interesting longer story about the transition Camilla has made from mistress/homewrecker to presumptive Queen Consort. In the piece, several people in Clarence House basically say that Camilla never spoke about her desire to be Queen or to have any of these grand titles. This was always what Charles wanted for her, to elevate her, to give her everything. Camilla and her position was always Charles’s obsession, his single-minded devotion. So… it doesn’t really matter what the polls say. Charles was always going to do this.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- BATH, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 08: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, unveils a plaque at The Villa during her visit to Bath-based charity VOICES on February 08, 2022 in Bath, England.,Image: 660570929, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Finnbarr Webster / Avalon
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- BATH, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 08: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, meets staff and trustees at The Villa during her visit to Bath-based charity VOICES on February 08, 2022 in Bath, England.,Image: 660571171, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Finnbarr Webster / Avalon
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- BATH, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 08: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, meets staff and trustees at The Villa during her visit to Bath-based charity VOICES on February 08, 2022 in Bath, England.,Image: 660571326, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Finnbarr Webster / Avalon
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- HRH Duchess of Cornwall hosting a reception for the British Equestrian teams from 2020 Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games.,Image: 660835191, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Steve Reigate / Avalon
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- HRH Duchess of Cornwall hosting a reception for the British Equestrian teams from 2020 Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games.,Image: 660835202, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Steve Reigate / Avalon
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- HRH Duchess of Cornwall hosting a reception for the British Equestrian teams from 2020 Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games.,Image: 660835221, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Steve Reigate / Avalon
I do actually agree that Camilla probably doesn’t care very much about it and Charles is the one driving it. Charles was just acutely aware that he had to initially pretend she would never be Queen to stop the public (and media) getting up in arms. Frankly I couldn’t care less what she’s called as she’s still going to be married to the king so it feels a bit arbitrary.
I think this is all about Charles, not even her, so I agree with you @amukay. Charles seems like a very petulant man, and if you think about it, he’s gotten everything he’s ever wanted. Making her queen would be the cherry on top. Where’s Tommy Lascelles when you need him?
Doesn’t it make you wonder what he wrested/ extorted from his mother for this?
Could it have anything to do with keeping pedo Andy supported in perpetuity after she’s gone?
On the surface, he’s gotten a lot of what he’s wanted. But I think he actually wants to be beloved. He wants Camilla to beloved. But they aren’t and unlikely ever will be. He’s probably genuinely confused and resentful as to why some people are truly beloved. Meghan very much was until the papers took her down. She still is by a large number of people that don’t fall for the media brainwashing. But unlikely Charles or Camilla will ever get that kind of love.
I agree @Jais. If I judge him based on everything but his love life, he’s a cultured intelligent man with great artistic sensibilities but he’s still not it for people, including me. I guess Camilla provides that unconditional love and he cherishes that. The irony is that people love Diana so much, even almost 25 years after passing on. That must sting.
I do think the fact that he’s not beloved bothers him. If you look at his mother – she’s not a saint, and yet she’s revered as one. Part of that is familiarity, and part of that is because she was so young when she became queen so there was always an element of sacrifice about her, or something – but part is because she just worked. Granted different time, different press coverage, etc. But I do think Charles thinks….I work. I start foundations and charitable organizations that are actually successful. I travel for the government. I promote different parts of the UK. Yes yes my personal life is messy but aren’t we all?
I think he was bothered by Diana’s popularity and Harry and Meghan’s popularity but I think the reason it bothered him (well one of the reasons) is because it confused him. He didn’t get why he wasn’t the recipient of that public love like his mother has been for decades.
I think Camilla does care and a lot. She does not look abashed at all but smirks triumphantly at the cameras like she was voted Prom Queen. It’s as if she’s Queen now. I never bought into her not wanting anything. She accepted expensive jewels from Charles while she was still married and he was still married to DIana.
She was just smart enough to pretend she didn’t, and smart enough to know that Charles did so he would look after it.
I just…..don’t get it. Any of it.
I am genuinely asking British commenters, what purpose does the BRF serve?
I just came here to ask the same thing. Doesn’t it make folks angry that they’re paying for these duds to live in luxury in exchange for what? Visiting places sometimes for photo ops? It’s such a scam.
@Colby – none
@Sue – yes it does.
Personally I just want a functioning government and it would be a bonus if we could take the millions we siphon off for this lot and spend it on something useful. They’re a useful distraction for the media/government from the hellscape that is so many people’s lives these days.
They apparently bring in the tourist money. They cost each taxpayer about £2 per year.
I personally don’t know of anyone who gives a damn about what they do and I also don’t know anyone who has ever been asked their opinion of them for one if these polls.
Well, how about taking that £2 pound and giving it to former colonies for reparations or to charities in commonwealth countries. Somehow, I think people would really start complaining about that £2 if that was the case.
But do they really bring in tourist money on their own? Or would the UK be fine on that front without them?
Anecdote is not data, but every person I’ve known who has visited London and the UK would still go if the monarchy were abolished. Literally no one has gone because they’re excited about Betty and Chuck. They go because they like the history, scenery, and find it accessible (because English is spoken…even friends whose first language is Spanish or Arabic find countries where English is widely spoken more accessible than those where it’s not, unless its one with their own language). Those that have been interested in things like Buckingham Palace and the crown jewels would still be interested in seeing those things (like people still see Versailles even though France’s monarchy has long been abolished).
British royal history is so rich they’d likely be fine without an active royal family. And I think once Betty’s gone, no one is going to give a rat’s rear end about Chuck or Elegant Bill and Mutton Buttons. I’d be shocked if, in a 100 years, tourists were clamoring to tour Clarence House, for example. They’ll still be lined up outside of Buckingham.
And that £2 per person would go really, really far in helping kids thrive in the first five years instead of going to a bunch of grifters. Just saying.
According to Norman Baker in his book, where there’s actual tourism money, like admission fees for the palaces, and gift shop takings, they keep it, with a total lack of transparency. None of it is benefiting the nation.
That £2 would go a lot further if it went straight to the charities these people are “patrons” of don’t ya think? Skip the money for the cars, palaces, clothes, jewelry, blow outs, and private jets.
Has anybody really done any deep dive into the financing of the monarchy to prove this 2 pound story or is that the BM version of things? And, if all the duchy money and public money were used for something else how much greater could the benefit be?
@Helonearth
You know which country in Europe gets the most tourists? France.
The 2 countries that get more tourism than all the other countries on Earth?
France and the United States
You do NOT need a monarchy to lure tourists
I agree with TigerMcQueen. The royals themselves do not draw tourists. The castles, palaces, crown jewels (all things that belong to the government) bring in the tourists. Not the individuals. People will still visit the UK if the monarchy is abolished.
@ SenseOfTheAbsurd, that is what puzzles me. How much they take after the expenses of the products needed for the BRF gift shops. I am certain that they are probably also given a “special” discount for the fact that they are mass produced for the RF gift shops as opposed to the independent ones. It would be quite interesting if they don’t lean onto the production companies. Hell, they might all come from China!!
I did my postgrad degree at a uni in the Midlands (in a heavy Tory area). All of my classmates, lecturers and students that I taught never cared about the BRF. All I ever heard them talk about was how they liked Meghan, how Harry isn’t Charles’ son, and how gross Randy Andy is. This was 2014-2017
I wonder if or how much the smear campaign has changed the folks at Midlands.
@ Colby, the BRF exists to uphold white supremacy and the classist system.
Ok. I haven’t read a word of this to comment, but that header photo made me choke on my coffee.
It’s really an unflattering photo, isn’t it? Made me laugh out loud!
All I thought about was a little freshening up would do Cowmilla some good!
That’s something she could do with CopyKeen!!!
I think outside of royal watchers that follow her and see what she does with her platform so like/respect her, it’s either apathy or still deep dislike because of Diana or just general understanding that it’s time to move on. She’s just not loved and it doesn’t matter she’ll be queen either way.
Agree with this. To a lof the public, she’ll always be the “other woman,” no matter what her royal title is.
And then there’s the fact that she lacks warmth and charisma. She’s a bit like Kate in that respect. She does and says all the right things to get in the public’s good graces, but she’s not loved because she doesn’t actually care about anything or anyone other than herself and Charles. You can’t hide selfishness and inauthenticity.
Actually that is not entirely true. People who meet her always say she is very warm and fun to be around.
She’s also supported charities and initiatives helping women victims of rape and sexual assault and has been very proactive in doing so.
She seems to be more old style/Princess Anne in her approach, which a lot of people respond to.
The main criticism isn’t really about her as a person, it’s about her as the ugly mistress.
The thing is people who like her will go to see her and would say nice things. But those who cannot stand her would not even leave their homes if she were greeting people on their corner. I don’t see her as fun and warm. Diana got in her way. She did not help Diana OR Meghan. I cannot stand Camilla. Even when she is shown as an advocate for animals I see those photos of her hunting helpless foxes, she loved foxhunting.
‘She’s just not loved and it doesn’t matter she’ll be queen either way.’
Much like Charles!
Camilla is the poster child for “if you make your own bed …”
The more that is said about Camilla, the more manipulative I believe her to be. At this point, I don’t think she’s relaxed about all this because she doesn’t care. I think she’s relaxed because she knows she can get Charles to do anything she wants and make him think it was his idea.
I believe the same. She wasn’t just standing around while everything was happening around her, she was an active participant. She played the game, stayed cozy with the media, leaked when she had to, and did her part in emotionally abusing a 19 year old. But sure, she didn’t want any of this. Charles did the heavy lifting in getting the public to accept her, to the detriment of his own reputation, and she sat back and watched.
@Ainsley7: Absolutely. And I believe the choice of causes such as domestic violence and rape survivors were specially chosen to get women on her side.
@amybee wow good catch! I was taken aback hearing about DV as her cause… Couldn’t figure out why, it just seemed vaguely off.
You totally nailed it. She conspired with a man to emotionally abuse the young woman, teenage woman, he was married to. She conspired in domestic abuse.
And then took up VICTIMS as a cause.
These people… The gaslighting is profound.
Probably that’s why Burger King tried to take off with racism in football and Earthshot. Actual racist with huge carbon footprint doing the performative bare minimum.
I’m not on her side and I know other women who are not. Even when she advocates for animals it seems hypocritical, she was an avid foxhunter which consisted of pursuit and having the helpless fox surrounded by hunting dogs.
Just like the Jubbly, Camilla isn’t the queen yet and I’m already tired of her.
I will never forgive you for comparing “Camilla” to a “Jubbly” {{{shudders}}} 🤣
@Enny, 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I don’t know how much Camilla cares or not. But we all know that Charles certainly cares a great deal so he made it happen.
I will say that a lot of the pushback I’m seeing on social media etc is because of the feeling that “he lied,” that people were told she would be princess consort and now what the what? she’s going to be queen? so……what was that thing we were told 15 years ago about her being princess?
My guess is that the people who are not fazed at all by it either don’t care at all about the BRF or just always figured this was going to happen.
@Becks: I tend to agree. People will call her “Queen Camilla” anyway bc she’ll be married to the King. (Like people persist in saying “Princess Kate.”) It’s the lying that irritates. Even back when they got married I wondered why they were floating the Princess Consort thing. They would have been so much better off just saying nothing or giving a shrugging “we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, today we’re just happy to be married” type of answer.
Camilla cares a lot. I can see it in her triumphant smirks.
☝🏻☝🏻 This!!
The cat that ate the king canary has made her happy and pleased, very pleased.
I’m a Brit and I think the general feeling towards Camilla is somewhere between dislike and complete apathy.
Seconded.
I don’t think I had fully grasped the level of Charles’s obsession with her becoming Queen Consort, but it makes sense. Charles views Camilla as a reflection of himself, so she must be accepted to validate Charles. He expected Diana to accept Camilla as his mistress to prove Diana’s devotion to him (the Crown has a great scene about this). So he is demanding that the public & the family accept Camilla as his Queen. I think Charles views their relationship as a great love story, but it’s much stranger than that.
This is a really astute comment!
Thanks!
I also wonder if there isn’t a bit of “in your eye” to his mother. Like he was the victim of family machinations with Diana, but at the of the day he came out on top.
Camilla had her own ambitions I doubt she was satisfied to be mistress and now has what Diana has (except she was not chosen to have royal babies).
I wonder how the daily fail will prop up chuck’s side piece next. Another fake poll or maybe an in depth article about God himself, giving his blessing for Camilla to be queen.
My first thought when seeing those comparative polls was that the Daily Fail made that one up from whole cloth. 🙄
Mentioning God, the thing is Charles will be head of the Church of England as king with Camilla as his queen. These are two people who both cheated on their own spouses for years and years and who have demonstrated their utter selfishness and complete lack of regard for many tenets of the church . They ruined and upended lives in pursuit of their own happiness, including four children as well as Diana.
According to the Bible the head of a church should have his own family affairs in order. That doesn’t apply to PC or QE.
This whole family is so emotionally constipated – how are they our supposed “social betters”????
They not my “social betters” We fought a war about that and kicked them out. Thank god for that.
I wonder what Princess Anne thinks of all of this…
Yes, Camilla looks smug and contrary to popular belief, she got what she always wanted. This is result of a 20 year PR campaign to get her to be accepted by the public and make her Queen.
It wouldnt really be fair for Camilla alone to be punished for the fallout of how Diana was treated so even pushing that princess consort thing was silly.
But yeah I agree that Camilla has been a strong player & does care about titles etc. Camilla wouldn’t have played the game as hard if she didn’t care about the QC thing. Charles cannot make her have the editor of the Fail around or indulge in gossip with royal reporters etc. Her AND Charles wanted this & they got it. Well played
@ABritGuest: Charles effectively lied to the public when he spoke about the princess consort title for Camilla. The law would have had to be changed for that to happen in the first place.
I think the royal family and royal commentators are the only people who care about titles. It has been clear forever that she and Charles will not be popular as leaders, and the BRF bullied their best chance at maintaining relevancy out of the country. So.
If they stopped dragging the Sussex’s into the media over there I wouldn’t pay any attention to any of these Royals. Beyond there scandals they hold no interest.
Is Camilla still a heavy smoker? Just curious because she has the lips of one.
Pretty sure she used to be a smoker, if not one now.
Just get rid of all of them.
It is worth noting that Camilla put her own children through a world of pain to continue on with Charles. Her children were humiliated and bullied at school because of the affair (imagine how they were treated after Tapongate!!). There are stories about her daughter picking up when Charles would call and screaming at him to leave her family alone. And when William would rage about the hurt Camilla had caused his mother, Camilla’s daughter would rage back about how Charles had destroyed her family.
So spare me the Camilla is ‘the good sort of woman’. The entire business is so tacky and these people are all selfish and disgusting.
Also, Levin is a fabulist who has created an entire fantasy world around Meghan. And she looks in the mirror and thinks that wig looks legit.
Oops! I totally meant to post this in the other story about Levin’s article! 😳
She was always going to be QC one way or the other. Even if called PRINCESS CONSORT, everyone in that family would have to bow to her and be outranked by her (besides Charles)
I don’t know why people are surprised? Also, if she were PC, then it would set a precedent to make ALL spouses Prince/Princess Consort. I imagine Keen is happy about Camilla becoming QC. No one would ever question why, in the 21st century, a female spouse is Queen while a male spouse is simply “Prince”.
She was never going to be Princess Consort. Never. Didn’t matter what Charles told the public, it wasn’t going to happen. Half of the royals’ history is littered with mistresses being given an upgrade to Queen, why would Charles change precedent? Because Diana was beloved? People can rage about Camilla until the cows come home, but she’s Charles’ wife and will be queen. End of story. Same goes for Waity. No matter how lazy, racist and manipulative she is, if the monarchy survives, she’ll be queen too. Don’t have to like it, it’s just the way things go in a monarchy. This whole story has overshadowed so many more important things going on in the UK. It’s accomplished its purpose: to deflect.
I said it yesterday but if the queen had died in let’s say 2007, I think Camilla would have been called Princess Consort. So while HM staying alive means Charles is still not on the throne, it ultimately led to Camilla being able to go by Queen Consort in the future.
As for Camilla not wanting to be called queen, eh. I absolutely believe Charles is the one driving this but I also think Camilla wants to be called queen (even if she was not openly gunning for it like Charles does). Maybe in 2005 she felt differently but 16 years later, maybe her mind has changed.
The position and power are the same, no matter what you call it. Princess Consort or Queen Consort, it’s semantics.
Nobody should care what she is called. Charles lied, and that’s the problem. Now he is trying to make it seem like Mummy just loves Cammy so much she wants him to go back on his word.
Cammy as Queen is a tempest in a teapot. Chuck being a phony liar who says whatever is expedient is not. Nor is his use of Betty’s skirts to hide behind.
Charles has waited his entire life to ascend to the throne. It seems that he has had his mind fixed on what his reign should reflect. I think Camilla is more an extension of his vision of his reign than Camilla must be referred to as Queen Consort. His selfishness is apparent and as much as he may care for her, I think he’d want this for any wife he had. It’s about Charles, his reign and his moment in history…
FYI, that is one of the worst pictures of her ever, lol
If Charles were given a choice: Camilla or the throne, I think it would be a no brainer, he’d choose the throne.
I honestly don’t care about this, because “Queen Consort” means “wife of the King” which she literally will be. None of these titles have anything to do with decency or merit. They are all about the birth order/rank of yourself or your spouse. She qualifies on rank of spouse, so she’s the QC. The notion that the public have or should have any say is ludicrous, and against the very justification for these kinds of titles in the first place. If they rule because “God said so”, then who cares what they public thinks? If the public’s opinion matters, then there is no justification for monarchy.
Ban the monarchy.
This is no longer about the Jubbly. It’s a hot mess. They’re throwing the Sussexes because this is not going down well.
This is not playing well in the states
Remember Charles said he would not be the only POW who didn’t have a mistress. I am sure he feels that he will not be the only king whose wife is not called queen. I think it’s as simple as that, it’s about Charles and Charles only, not his devotion to Camilla.
It’s a born or married-in position; what does it matter what the public thinks? It’s not like they get a say in it. What is the point of the polls, especially with regard to H&M. Do they include Zara, Peter, Eugenie or Bea in these polls (as fellow non-“working” royals)? It’s kind of immature like they only do them so they can claim “people don’t like H&M”. They should throw in a “nah, nah, we’re more popular”.
I see Camilla as very cold hearted. She played false friend to a teenage girl that Charles chose to marry and have his babies. And undermined her every step of the way. It was not as if Charles had a childhood sweetheart got a divorce and reunited with her after the marriage. Camilla was involved the Whole Time.
What an excellent picture of this side piece turned wife. She is there in all her questionable charms.
The papers asked the wrong question. They should have asked if anyone of them cared if Charles was King.