Queen Elizabeth II stunned many when she stated that Camilla, the then-Duchess of Cornwall, would be known as Queen Consort when Charles succeeded to the throne seven months before her death.
It was a major departure from the monarchy’s initial goals. Camilla was named Princess Consort, not Queen, by Buckingham Palace in 2005. However, royal analysts told Insider that the surprise action was Queen Elizabeth’s way of rallying support for Camilla.
According to royal historian Katie Nicholl, Camilla and Elizabeth’s bond wasn’t always so strong.
Nicholl talks to British historian Robert Lacey about the Queen’s views toward Camilla in her book “The New Royals,” which was released in October.
“In 1998, when Charles was trying to persuade his mother to be more accommodating of Camilla, the Queen described her as ‘that wicked woman,'” Lacey said. “Those damning words were reported in distress by Prince Charles himself.”
Charles and Camilla’s love story had already been long, controversial, and difficult up till that moment. They began as young lovers in their twenties in 1970 and were cheating on their separate wives by the 1980s.
The royal family was publicly humiliated in January 1993 when the press disclosed discussions between the future king and Camilla, including the memorable moment when Charles declared he wanted to be her tampon. During a TV appearance a year later, Charles acknowledged his adultery.
“If you’re looking for one problem or set of problems in the reign of Elizabeth II, they all come down to Charles — and specifically his infatuation and love for one woman, who was not his wife,” Lacey told Nicholl.
The ongoing scandals of the 1990s many of which have been represented in this season of “The Crown” — were a persistent cause of agony for the monarchy, which was previously stable. According to Nicholl, things were so terrible that the Queen “would not have Camilla’s name acknowledged in her company.”
However, after Charles and Diana divorced in 1996, Nicholl stated that arrangements were made to try to legalize their relationship in the eyes of the public. Mark Bolland was engaged for “Operation Mrs. PB,” as it was dubbed, and the specialist in public relations revealed his initial idea to Nicholl.
“At this stage, there was absolutely no talk of marriage or Camilla being queen,” he said. “It was more, ‘Can we actually just spend some more time together? Can we go to the theater together and not live in fear of terrible headlines?'”
In July 1997, Charles lavishly celebrated Camilla’s 50th birthday. Princess Diana died in a horrific automobile accident a month later. All preparations to make Camilla and Charles’ romance more public were halted.
Nicholl stated that relations between Camilla and the Queen were gradually changing. In 2000, Queen Elizabeth attended a 60th birthday party for King Constantine of Greece, which the pair hosted.
When the Queen asked Camilla to join the royal family for a Golden Jubilee celebration at Buckingham Palace in February 2002, Nicholl described it as “an official end to hostilities.”
The pair moved in together a year later. Charles and Camilla ultimately married in 2005.
The Queen made a toast at the couple’s reception at Windsor Castle, praising them for overcoming “terrible obstacles.”
“I’m very proud and wish them well,” she said. “My son is home and dry, with the woman he loves.”
