A shining example. Queen Consort Camilla is avoiding controversy with her choice of crown for her and King Charles III’s coronation.
Camilla, 75, and her husband, 74, will be honored with a ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London on Saturday, May 6. The former Prince of Wales assumed the throne in September 2022 immediately after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, and was the longest-serving heir apparent before being dubbed king. (Elizabeth died at age 96 and reigned for a historic 70 years.)
The former Duchess of Cornwall has been outspoken about taking on the role of queen consort after Elizabeth confirmed the title in February 2022. At the time, a source exclusively told Us Weekly that the late monarch was once “skeptical” about how Camilla would represent the British royal family but eventually changed her tune.
“Through her dedication and loyalty to The Firm, she has more than proved to her that she has what it takes,” the insider said. “Camilla has definitely grown on Elizabeth II, more so than ever during the [coronavirus] pandemic. She really upped her game and willingly took a hands-on approach with additional duties.”
Buckingham Palace announced one year later that Camilla’s coronation crown had been officially selected. She will don the Crown of Queen Mary, which was commissioned by Charles’ great-grandmother Mary of Teck in the early 1900s.
Before Mary, the royal tradition was for the queen consort to wear custom tiaras for the special occasion, beginning with King George III’s wife, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, in 1761. Mary’s headpiece, however, was created in hopes that it would be passed down for generations to come.
Instead of choosing the crown of her consort predecessor, The Queen Mother, Camilla chose a safer option. The Queen Mother’s design now features the controversial Koh-i-Noor diamond, which many believe is a physical representation of Britain’s colonialist history. The 105.6-carat stone was previously part of Mary’s crown before being added to the Queen Mother’s in 1937.
As she prepares for her new royal role, Camilla is ready to support Charles the best she can. “I learned that your place is several feet behind the monarch,” she told The Australian Women’s Weekly in July 2022. “You’re there as a backup.”
Since Charles’ ascension, Camilla has already dipped into the royal jewel collection. In November 2022, she wore her late mother-in-law’s Belgian Sapphire Tiara to welcome South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to the royal family’s first state dinner since 2016. Elizabeth previously donned the accessory for her visit to Singapore in 1989 and when welcoming representatives from China to the U.K. in 2015.
Scroll down to learn more about the crown Camilla will wear at the coronation:
