It has been an interesting argument, and vehement at some phases, but as my Mother just passed away, suddenly, I think of my grandmother's expression Man plans and God laughs. All this angst, one or the other may not be alive at that time. No one knows. The polls, as I see it, as just there in case they have to make a quick decision, as to which will be more popular.
When Charles is crowned it will be an unprecedented event, a divorced monarch with a divorced second wife. Unique in the history of the British royals.
You guys are forgetting Eleanor of Acquitaine. She married Louis VII of France, had a less than happy marriage, allegedly had an incestuous relationship with her uncle, then finally was able to make him divorce her despite even the pope trying to push for a reconciliation, then asked the future Henry II to marry her a grand total of eight weeks after the annulment of her first marriage. She then became Queen of England 2 years later on the ascension of her second husband, some 30 years before her first husband's death. She would then later on encourage her sons from her second marriage to openly revolt against her second husband/their father.
We need to remember that the accession takes place immediately on the death of the reigning monarch by common law and this means Camilla instantly becomes Queen when Charles becomes King. There is no in-between period, Camilla goes from being the Duchess of Cornwall to Queen Consort.
The proclamation of the new monarch itself does not make the sovereign or effect the accession. It is just window dressing and theatre. Charles will be King the instant HM passes and Camilla will instantly be Queen
Correct, but what do we do if Camilla starts referring to herself as Princess Consort and insists on people calling her that?!
To be honest, I don't think Camilla is the type to insist on anything like a title. Should it be deemed that she is to be called Queen Consort, that's what she'll go as. Should it be Princess Consort that would be fine with her too. Camilla just doesn't go about making waves anywhere. At the time all of this would be going on, it would be at the time of HM's passing and she would know that rocking the boat would only add more stress and troubles for Charles.
When Charles is crowned it will be an unprecedented event, a divorced monarch with a divorced second wife. Unique in the history of the British royals.
You are right, she's not. But Clarance House would. And so would prince Charles. They can't prevent people from calling her queen consort but they can announce they (prince Charles and Camilla) want her to be referred to as princess consort and they could refer to her as such.
However, in the case of Camilla if you are going to function as the Queen and legally are the Queen why not use your title of Queen.
But do they really want the Princess Consort title? As point out earlier, Camilla is Queen as soon as Charles is King.
Now after several years after that, why would Charles and Camilla volunteer to use a lower title than the rightful title of Queen Consort?
Actually it takes an Act of Parliament to deny Camilla becoming Queen. She takes that title under common law by virtue of being married to the King. The constitution doesn't give Charles the authority to decide otherwise.
The Sovereign has the authority to regulate royal styles and titles but the title of Queen Consort isn't a royal title It can't bestowed nor taken away by royal prerogative.
The only body that can deny Camilla her right to the title Queen under common law is Parliament
Whether she styles herself with another title is a different matter but she will undeniably and legally be Queen
The succession to the UK throne is regulated by statute, but the titles and styles of the monarch's consort are not. The law guarantees that Charles will become king the moment he survives his mother, but the titles (if any) that Camilla will bear, absent any provision to the contrary in an act of Parliament, are entirely up to Charles to decide as a royal prerogative. If he decides she will be known as "HRH The Princess Consort" from the moment his reign starts, that will be the law of the land.
BTW, a similar discussion took place in the Netherlands when Queen Beatrix announced she would abdicate. Many observers noted that Maxima was not automatically entitled to become queen as there is no such title as "queen consort" in Dutch law. In the end, the Royal House decided Maxima would hold a courtesy title of "Queen" with the accompanying style of "Her Majesty", but would also keep her previous title of "princess of the Netherlands" to which she is still entitled, in this case by law, as the monarch's consort.
Legally Edward's children are whatever the Queen decides to call them. In Britain there is no 'right' to be entitled HRH or Prince/ss.
I believe there are letters patent issued in 1917 by King George V and stiil in force that grant the title of prince/ss of the United Kingdom to all grandchildren of a monarch in male line.
I believe there are letters patent issued in 1917 by King George V and stiil in force that grant the title of prince/ss of the United Kingdom to all grandchildren of a monarch in male line.