CAMILLA Parker Bowles will become Queen unless Parliament legislates to strip her of the right to the title, it was confirmed yesterday. Posted on 03/21/2005 5:53:50 PM PST by M. Espinola
CAMILLA Parker Bowles will become Queen unless Parliament legislates to strip her of the right to the title, it was confirmed yesterday.
The admission by the Department for Constitutional Affairs contradicts repeated assertions by Clarence House that she will be known only as Princess Consort on her husband’s succession, and not Queen.
Any change to her status may also have to be approved by the 17 parliaments in countries where the new King will be head of state. However, that runs the risk that some countries, such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand, may vote instead to become republics because they could not accept a “Queen Camilla”.
The Prince and Mrs Parker Bowles are to marry in Windsor on April 8th.
Clarence House was still arguing last night that it was only a convention not a right that the wife of a King was automatically known as Queen. But while maintaining its legal advice was correct that she will be Princess Consort, it conceded that if there was a requirement for legislation to prevent her becoming Queen it would abide by it. However, any government Bill would not be enacted before the Prince had succeeded to the throne. He privately has always hoped that public opinion would shift in favour of a Queen Camilla.
A spokeswoman for the Department for Constitutional Affairs, headed by Lord Falconer of Thoroton, the Lord Chancellor, said that an Act of Parliament would be required.
“I think traditionally that’s probably the case because in all similar circumstances in the past royal marriages that is what has happened,” she said. “But I think she is not going to be referred to as Queen, she will be referred to as the Princess Consort.”
Asked about the position of other countries where the Prince of Wales would become head of state on his succession, the spokeswoman replied: “I think you are right in thinking it would require legislation for her not to be Queen.”
Another official at the department said: “There definitely has to be legislation because it is changing the role of the wife of the monarch. That has to be approved by Parliament.”
Downing Street was brought into the controversy yesterday when Tony Blair’s official spokesman said: “The position at the moment is limited to what the title would be on her marriage. In terms of any future events, let’s wait until future events arise.”
On the question of whether Mrs Parker Bowles would automatically become Queen in the absence of legislation, the spokesman added: “I’m not disputing what you have said.”
The revelation will destroy Clarence House’s carefully crafted strategy that it was “intended that” Mrs Parker Bowles would be known as the Princess Consort on succession.
Officials privately admitted that they had deliberately used the phrase “intended that” to leave the option open for a Queen Camilla if public opinion shifted in her favour.
A Clarence House spokesman challenged the Government’s interpretation of the law last night. “Our position is clear. We regard it as an issue of convention not statute. It has never been written in statute that the King’s wife is automatically a Queen but there are always different interpretations of the law,” the spokesman said.
But the official conceded that if the Parliament of the day insisted on legislation to prevent her becoming Queen they would follow the advice of ministers.
Photos added
I think she should be Queen because she has that inbred look and it would carry on the tradition.
damn she ugly
Hmmm. "Queen Hillary"
"IF she can, I CAN."
Look... if the British taxpayer wants to support the rich and famous so be it. Frankly I'd favor the type of government now found in Iraq. Thanks to "W"!
Bloody right! That tart Dianna was too pleasin' to the eye! God bless and save another 'orse toothed queen! 'ip 'ip''oorah!
FMCDH(BITS)
FMCDH(BITS)
Looks like the teacher in Danny and the Dinosaur.
Gotta love a democracy. Or a democratic republic.
An act of parliament? Well, I just thank my luck I'm a citizen of America, where any boy can dream of being a queen...
Queen Whore (I hope that's not a bad word on here, but it's exactly her title and description as far as I'm concerned)
All goes to show us that only a British Whore can be Queen. They already rejected the American one in the case of the Queen's Uncle. A rejection that brought Elizabeth to the throne.
Only Americans are objectionable in UK.
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