Princes William And Harry Reportedly Blindsided By Camilla Queen Consort Announcement

The Camilla Queen Consort announcement by Queen Elizabeth seems to be one of the new issues that may be causing a divide for Princes William and Harry with other Royal Family members.

While promoting his book "Brothers and Wives: Inside the Private Lives of William, Kate, Harry, and Meghan," author Christopher Andersen talked to Us Weekly last week about many ups and downs within the Royal Family. He said, “It’s just whether or not they can get over this bad feeling, and then, of course, Queen‘s health and these other considerations are there." He added that he doesn’t think it helped with the Queen "announcing that Duchess Camilla will be Queen Consort and that’s another issue."

The author claimed that the Queen’s new decision is “driving a wedge” in the Royal Family. He added that William and his younger brother Harry were completely "blindsided by this.”

Earlier this month, the 95-year-old British monarch announced her hope for Camilla to be given the title of Queen Consort when Prince Charles becomes the King. According to Andersen, Charles, the Queen’s son, was “relentlessly” pushing for his wife to be given the title. The author said that Charles just "wore" his mother down on this.

Referring to Prince Philip’s April 2021 death, the author said that since then Charles has "stepped up his effort to make it clear to the Queen that he too needs (a partner)." Andersen added that if Charles is going to reign, he is "going to need the support, the kind of support" that she got from her husband.

The Prince of Wales and Camilla, who got married in 2005, have had their fair share of issues in the public eye. Charles previously married the late Princess Diana in 1981 and then became parents to William and Harry. They separated in 1992 and their divorce was announced four years later. Back then there was speculation that the couple had extramarital affairs during Charles’ marriage to Diana and Camilla’s relationship with her then-husband Andrew Parker Bowles.

Andersen claimed that the Queen was “miserable” during Charles’ second marriage ceremony. The author said that the Queen was "begrudgingly letting him do this and one of the key elements was he promised Camilla would never be called Queen Consort.”

Soon after the Queen made the Camilla Queen Consort announcement, a source said that Charles was thrilled that his mother “has given her seal of approval” to his relationship. The source shared that the Queen "was skeptical about Camilla when she married Charles and the circumstances were certainly challenging." But the Duchess of Cornwall's "dedication and loyalty to The Firm, she has more than proved to her that she has what it takes,” added the source.

Even though Camilla will likely be known as Queen Camilla when her husband succeeds the throne, she will never truly be Queen, according to Express. When Charles becomes the King after his mother's death, Camilla will likely be known as Queen Consort rather than a Queen regnant like the Queen. The monarch succeeded the throne in her own right after the death of her dad, King George VI. On the other hand, Camilla's Queen title will be completely dependent on Charles being the sovereign.