Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

King Charles and Queen Camilla

381 replies

LoveInTokyo · 16/05/2018 07:36

AIBU to wonder why so many people seem to think this will not happen?

I can understand why a lot of people abroad seem to think it’s likely that Prince Charles will just hand over the crown straight to William because he’s younger and more popular. Most countries don’t have royal families, and in some European monarchies routine abdication is something that actually happens.

But I was reading some of the completely mental royal wedding threads on here and was surprised by the number of similar comments. I particularly enjoyed one Daily Express reader’s person’s comment about how the public would never accept Camilla as queen.

I don’t think most people give a shiny shit whether Camilla is Queen or not, but those that do have an issue with it will have to get used to the idea. Prince Charles didn’t have to give up his place in the line of succession when he married her, therefore unless the Queen outlives Charles, he will be king and Camilla will be queen!

OP posts:
Lizzie48 · 16/05/2018 18:15

It's also because abdication is seen in a very bad light in this country, especially with the history of Edward VIII abdicating in order to marry Wallis Simpson. It's seen as the monarch's duty to stay on the throne for life, as they made a commitment before God. In other European countries, monarchs abdicate as a matter of course.

I do think, though, that the Queen was uncomfortable with the marriage to Camilla, there was a lot of talk about her potentially not coming to the wedding. She probably is uncomfortable at the idea of her being queen. Not that she'll ever say it publicly of course.

SenecaFalls · 16/05/2018 18:16

What? Is she living to a great age just to spite Charles? How thoughtless of her.

And before you mention abdication, I don't think that's ever been something that she would consider. It's very much a departure from traditional norms for the British Monarchy.

Queenoftheblitz · 16/05/2018 18:18

Respect for William? I do but not like i respect the queen because of the mystique factor.
I respect William because he has a dignity, seems to be a good husband and father, clean living etc.
But he's young enough to be my son so respect isn't a word I'd use generally.

SenecaFalls · 16/05/2018 18:20

It's seen as the monarch's duty to stay on the throne for life, as they made a commitment before God.

Exactly. She was annoited as well as crowned, and she is known to be a devout Christian.

biscuitraider · 16/05/2018 18:28

I think the queen loves her children very much. I'm sure she worries about the future of the monarchy
I don't agree that she loves them very much, what makes you think so. Charles even said "whatever love is" because he's never felt it. The queen shook him by the hand when he was a small boy after being apart for 6 weeks. He's emotionally stunted, as they all seem to be.

As for worrying about the monarchy, totally agree, at the cost of everything else. Self preservation, the monarchy must survive at all costs.

CruCru · 16/05/2018 18:32

I should think Camilla will be Queen. My understanding is that she is actually Princess of Wales now - she just doesn't use the title (in the same way that Prince Charles isn't routinely described as Earl of Chester (thank you, Wikipedia)).

Having a hereditary monarchy means that we can't choose who gets to be King or Queen.

HadronCollider · 16/05/2018 18:34

I'm a total hypocrite because I quite like Charles but cannot abide the thought of Camilla as Queen. She didn't have any respect for C&D marriage did not give an iotas breathing space.

I don't think Charles should become King though, not because he had an affair, but because he married his mistress, thereby demonstrating a complete inability to make a personal sacrifice for the good of the monarchy....and for the 2nd time (the first being his inability to put her aside when it was ruining his marriage, causing a scandal, undermining the monarchy, and his future role as King, and potentially affecting the future heirs.

biscuitraider · 16/05/2018 18:38

It's seen as the monarch's duty to stay on the throne for life, as they made a commitment before God.

Exactly. She was annoited as well as crowned, and she is known to be a devout Christian.

Oh what nonsense, do you really think God required a commitment from her to be a "queen", with all the huge wealth and privilege that entails. What the hell are royal families to do with God, especially when you consider how they came about acquiring all that land and wealth...

.and how is she a "devout Christian",? is it Christian like to have multiple palaces and billions in the bank, while just up the road people are sleeping in shopdoor ways, dying of cold. That is NOT what being and living as a Christian is all about. Total BS.

Queenoftheblitz · 16/05/2018 18:43

The queen was trained to behave cool in public. That doesn't mean she's a robot. Of course she loves her children but you can't compare her parenting skills of 1950 to today.

gingercat02 · 16/05/2018 18:43

I'm all for adulterers being hung drawn and quartered shamed for what they have done but IRL they don't get sacked or asked to resign from their very well paid cozy job
Charles is no different and he will absolutely want Camilla to be Queen. Not sure about the always loved her shite he has always shagged around according to the gossip

biscuitraider · 16/05/2018 18:43

What? Is she living to a great age just to spite Charles? How thoughtless of her.
Where did i say she was trying to spite Charles?, i was pointing out her indifference and lack of empathy. What has that to do with spite? Confused

ForalltheSaints · 16/05/2018 18:46

I think Camilla will be Queen, not sure if it will be King Charles III or George VII. As to why she is known as the Duchess of Cornwall, I expect it was out of consideration to the deceased Princess of Wales, Diana, perhaps to William and Harry.

The Queen will not abdicate, even if in practice by the last few years of her life many of the traditional duties are carried out by Charles, William or other family members. Already all overseas visits are by other members of the family.

biscuitraider · 16/05/2018 18:47

Yes you can compare her parenting skills from the 1950s to today. My mother was loving from that era, it's something you can't hide. What do you mean "of course she loves her children"? not everyone does, or if she does she's incapable of showing it.

Queenoftheblitz · 16/05/2018 18:50

And Charles was overley loved by his gran the queen mother. She spoilt him and encouraged his luxury lifestyle, rather than the queen's more modest way. Queen mum died £6m in debt - paid off by the queen. That's the kind of person who made him her favourite and encouraged his sense of entitlement.

Queenoftheblitz · 16/05/2018 18:56

Yes you can compare her parenting skills from the 1950s to today. My mother was loving from that era, it's something you can't hide. What do you mean "of course she loves her children"? not everyone does, or if she does she's incapable of showing it.

Just stuff I've read over the years of her being in floods of tears when she had to leave them. I didn't read anything that said she was cold behind doors with her kids, just a normal mum whose job kept her busy. Both her and philip expected to have at least 10 years to raise their children before queenship beckoned. But her dad died young and she had to step up.

raisedbyguineapigs · 16/05/2018 18:59

I was watching that Windsor's documentary. It was quite shocking watching the Queen with a little Charles, even before she was Queen. She went away for 6 months, went to the races, came back and ruffled his hair when she finally bothered to see him. She struck me as another Victoria, especially to the first two. She adored her husband but wasn't that bothered about the kids. The QM hugged both kids and she was older do would have been brought up with the same decorum.

Luisa27 · 16/05/2018 18:59

I agree with biscuit...I’ve often felt that The Queen seems a rather cold and distant mother. And I believe the emotional repercussions of such parenting can be devastating. Charles has chosen to parent his children very differently, and in turn so has William.

biscuitraider · 16/05/2018 19:00

They've all got a huge sense of entitlement, a very greedy grasping family.

diddl · 16/05/2018 19:09

"I was watching that Windsor's documentary. "

I'm watching The Windsors!BlushGrin

"She adored her husband but wasn't that bothered about the kids"

Could be.

It's an odd dynamic I think.

Like Charles complains that he doesn't see enough of his GC-none of them work-how hard can it be to get together?

They're not a close family at all.

You wonder if any of them enjoy the company of any of the others!

Queenoftheblitz · 16/05/2018 19:19

I think its a bit harsh to question a mothers love on the basis of newsreels and a documentary. No mother likes to be criticised whoever she is. I'm not saying the queen was a tactile mum, i don't think she was. But its wrong to say she doesnt love them when we're in no position to know.

HadronCollider · 16/05/2018 19:20

shamed for what they have done but IRL they don't get sacked or asked to resign from their very well paid cozy job

It not just a job, and yes they do if that scandal affects the integrity of the office they hold. Think Bill Clinton, who pretty much started back tracking quickly to save his arse, and Donald Trump (although nothing will happen there).

The perception of the Monarchy was severely undermined by all the ensuing scandal. In terms of ensuring the posterity of the institution, he did quite a lot to make that less likely.

biscuitraider · 16/05/2018 19:30

Well queen the queen won't be looking on here so i think it's ok, and perfectly fine to discuss the lack of maternal love from her to her kids.
Perhaps it's that stiff upper lip, but i do remember her crying when the royal yacht Brittania got decommissioned. The only time i've seen her cry in public. Rather telling. No "cool head" there obviously.

She maybe does love her kids deep down, but that's no good to them if you can't show it in any way. I always thought Charles looked on Camilla as a mother figure, to make up for it. But on the whole i think they're a cold emotionless family. They've done nothing to show us otherwise.

HasAnyoneGotAProblemWithThat · 16/05/2018 19:53

What you want then weeping & wailing in public??

HasAnyoneGotAProblemWithThat · 16/05/2018 19:54

My dad loves us & his family wholeheartedly. He didn’t cry when his parents died but the live was there. MIL absolutely adored her dcs but has never hugged them or told them she loved them. It’s that generation.

AndhowcouldIeverrefuse · 16/05/2018 20:01

I'm all for adulterers beinghung drawn and quarteredshamed for what they have done but IRL they don't get sacked or asked to resign from theirvery well paid cozyjob

Charles will be head of the church. Technically he was OK to remarry as he was a widower. Camilla, not so. I am an atheist and a republican so let's ask Church of England believers: do you think that the head of the church and his spouse should follow the rules of the church?