London
CNN
—
Buckingham Palace published on Tuesday the invitation to King Charles’ coronation, in which his wife was given the title of Queen Camilla for the first time.
The intricate invitation, which is printed on recycled card stock and includes an illustrated border of wildflowers and the Green Man from British folklore, was headlined with the text: “The coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla.”
Camilla assumed the title of queen consort upon the death of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband’s accession to the throne.
“It made sense to refer to Her Majesty as Queen Consort in the early months of Her Majesty’s reign, to distinguish her from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,” a royal source told CNN.
On Tuesday, Buckingham Palace released King Charles’ coronation invitation, in which his wife was named Queen Camilla for the first time.
“’Queen Camila’ is the appropriate title to contrast with ‘King Carlos’ on the invitation. The coronation is an appropriate time to start using ‘Queen Camilla’ in an official capacity,” the royal source said. “All former queen consorts have been known as ‘Queen’ plus their given name.”
The invitation will be sent to “2,000 guests who will form the congregation at Westminster Abbey” for the May 6 service, according to a palace news release.
Prince George, Charles’ grandson and heir to the throne, will be one of eight children chosen to “assist Their Majesties during the Coronation Service,” the statement wrote. The group includes three of Camilla’s grandchildren, according to the statement.
The palace also released a new portrait of the couple on Tuesday, taken last month at Buckingham Palace by British photographer Hugo Burnand, who took their wedding photos in 2005.
Camilla’s title change on the invitation marks her long journey through the court of public opinion.
Since she and Charles got married, Camilla has worked hard as a senior royal, standing by Charles’s side and championing charities that help women and children. But many people find it hard to forget or forgive their long relationship and the pain it caused Charles’s first wife, the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
Speculation has grown over the years as to what title he would take when Charles assumed the throne. In 2005, Clarence House issued a statement saying that she would be known as “Princess Consort” when Charles assumed the throne. Some in the palace at the time felt that the public was not ready for Camilla to take the title of queen that was intended for Diana.
But attitudes toward Camilla have softened over the years. In 2015, a CNN poll found that one in four Britons had liked her more and fewer people were opposed to her being known as queen.
Then, in February 2022, the late Queen Elizabeth used the historic milestone of her Platinum Jubilee to give her blessing, saying that when Charles accedes to the throne, the Duchess of Cornwall will be known “as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service.” . ”
The coronation will see three days of celebrations across the country in which the public will be invited to participate.
The White House confirmed Tuesday that US President Joe Biden will not attend the coronation.
According to a reading of the White House call between Biden and King Carlos, the president said that first lady Jill Biden will attend the coronation on behalf of the US and congratulated Carlos on the upcoming event.
Biden also “conveyed his desire to meet the King in the UK at a future date,” according to the reading.
US officials have pointed out that Biden is following a precedent, as no previous US president has attended the coronation of a British monarch.
