Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links.”
In light of the news of King Charles III’s cancer diagnosis, you might be wondering what happens if his wife, Queen Camilla, were to outlive him—and what her title would be.
Well, a similar situation occurred when Queen Elizabeth II’s father, King George VI, passed away in 1952, widowing his wife, Queen Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon. When Queen Elizabeth II took the throne, her mother took on the title queen mother, to avoid any confusion with her daughter the monarch. But if Queen Camilla outlives her husband, something different would happen.
Camilla would likely take on the title Queen Dowager, defined quite simply by Merriam-Webster as: “the widow of a king.” All widows of kings are technically queen dowagers, but some use the title Queen Mother if they are the birth mothers to the reigning heir (but as we know, Queen Camilla is not).
Dave Benett – Getty Images
If King Charles passes away, his eldest son, Prince William, will ascend to the throne. The Prince of Wales is currently first in the line of British succession, followed by his eldest son, Prince George. If Prince William becomes monarch of the United Kingdom, then his wife, Princess Catherine, will take on the title of queen.
As noted by Town & Country, the last time the Queen Dowager title was used was when Queen Adelaide outlived her husband, King William IV, in 1837. She held the title until her passing in 1849, and because the pair never bore any children, King William’s niece, Queen Victoria, ultimately took hold of the throne.
Currently, Queen Camilla is a queen consort—aka the spouse of a reigning monarch—however the “consort” was subtly removed on the royal family website a few weeks before she was coronated alongside King Charles III.
You Might Also Like
