Immediately following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away peacefully on Thursday, her firstborn son, Charles, officially became the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth realms. But what will he and his wife, Camilla, be referred to from now on?
A spokesman for His Majesty confirmed to BAZAAR.com that the monarch will be known as King Charles III. Meanwhile, Camilla, formerly known as the Duchess of Cornwall, will now be recognized as the Queen Consort.
Ahead, we explain all the nuances behind their new titles.
King Charles III
Though it has since been confirmed that he will be known as King Charles III, not all British monarchs have stuck by their given name upon accession.
For instance, Charles's grandfather's baptized name was Albert Frederick Arthur George. But, upon becoming king, he took on the regnal name George VI. Queen Elizabeth's great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, also changed her name, having been baptized as Alexandrina Victoria.
The new monarch choosing to go by Charles III has him following in the footsteps of his mother, who—upon ascending the throne 70 years ago—broke tradition by deciding to keep her given name.
Camilla, Queen Consort
After Camilla and Charles married in 2005, Buckingham Palace announced that Camilla would take on the title Princess Consort once Charles ascended the throne.
However, Queen Elizabeth later expressed her "sincere wish" for Camilla to be known as the Queen Consort.
In a letter released the day before her 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne, the late monarch wrote, "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."
At the time, a Clarence House spokesperson told BAZAAR.com that the couple were both "touched and honored by Her Majesty's words."
What's the difference between "Queen" and "Queen Consort"?
The title of "Consort" is traditionally given to the spouse of a reigning monarch, while "Queen" is solely given to female rulers. Therefore, the late Queen Elizabeth II inherited her title after she ascended the throne following the death of her father, King George VI, while Camilla was given her title due to her marriage to Charles.
While there are subtleties between the names, Camilla's name will still likely be styled as "Queen Camilla."
Chelsey Sanchez is an editor at Harper’s Bazaar, where she writes about any and all things related to culture and entertainment. Previously, she has covered pop culture and politics for outlets like The Atlantic, Flaunt, and The Indypendent. She feels very strongly about Jane Austen adaptations.
