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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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:
diddl · 16/05/2018 09:02

"If Diana was still alive, she’d have become Queen Diana the Queen Mother I believe?"

Nope-what Queen would she have been the mother of?

BalloonSlayer · 16/05/2018 09:03

I understood that Charles made a commitment to the nation that his wife, at the time of their marriage when many people were pretty unhappy, would be styled "princess consort", not "queen".

I think I remember something of the sort being said at the time, but I also remember reading that it is nonsense, as the wife of the King is the Queen and that's that. If it was said by Charles then it was just to shut people up at the time, relying on enough goodwill towards Camilla building up over the years that by the time he becomes King no one would have any problem with her being Queen. And it looks like that's exactly what will happen.

CurlyWurlyTwirly · 16/05/2018 09:03

By the time Charles becomes King, most of the pro Diana supporters women who were 40+ eg my mum who is now in her 70s will be elderly or dead. I liked Diana a lot, and was in my late 20s when she died so remember her wedding & the Diana years very clearly. But Camilla has not put a foot wrong in the 20+ years since she has been Charles official partner then spouse.

The Queen is likely to live at least another decade and Charles a good 15-20 years after that.

I am sure William is in no hurry to be King. As Harry memorably said, no one wants the top job. William has a young family and will want to raise them to adulthood is peace & privacy.

I do however think Charles will be a good King. He has adapted and survived. He will probably surprise as as King.

purits · 16/05/2018 09:04

Camilla will be the end of the Commonwealth

What on earth is that based on?Confused
We've recently had a Commonwealth meeting where HMQ made it very clear that she expected PC to be the next head of the Commonwealth and it seemed to be accepted.
Diana would might have caused problems if she was still alive. But she's not.

BertrandRussell · 16/05/2018 09:04

"I find the rehabilitation of Charles and Camilla in the eyes of the public utterly extraordinary.

Why?"
Well, I am a ardent republican so I don't really understand how royalists feel. But if my figureheads were exposed as behaving in quite such a despicable way as those two did I would find it quite hard to have any respect for them.

lifechangesforever · 16/05/2018 09:04

What people forget is that Diana was FAR from perfect, in fact she was actually very manipulative and played the press and people in general to her advantage.

Charles won't abdicate and why should he? She will be Queen and those who 'don't accept her' simply won't have a choice in the matter.

tombstoneteeth · 16/05/2018 09:05

I think I remember something of the sort being said at the time, but I also remember reading that it is nonsense, as the wife of the King is the Queen and that's that. If it was said by Charles then it was just to shut people up at the time, relying on enough goodwill towards Camilla building up over the years that by the time he becomes King no one would have any problem with her being Queen. And it looks like that's exactly what will happen.
If this in indeed true, it makes Charles look even worse - a cynical manipulator, unable to keep his word, as he was unable to honour his marriage vows,

Luisa27 · 16/05/2018 09:05

Agree with you wholeheartedly, Curly Smile

MurielsBottom · 16/05/2018 09:07

Bertrand Please could you explain what you mean by this,

I find the rehabilitation of Charles and Camilla in the eyes of the public utterly extraordinary.

QueenDaisy - the succession is from male parent to male child until we get to William's children when the constitution was changed to make female equal to make in the line of succession. The change isn't backdated so Princess Anne will never be Queen and each child that William has pushes his uncles (Andrew and Edward) further down the line of succession.

astoundedgoat · 16/05/2018 09:08

Camilla seems fine - a robust sensible woman. Charles is a peevish, spoilt, philandering* bastard, whose own children won't see him. One of the reasons that he and Camilla live apart is because he doesn't want children around and she wants to see her grandchildren regularly.

It's a good point above about the Commonwealth. Charles is not a positive role model for them to want. William fits the bill more neatly. It's a figurehead role so surely you would want someone with good "optics".

*Yes, I get that when it comes to marital fidelity she has not covered herself in glory either, but I also imagine that her husband went into their marriage with rather more open eyes than Diana did.

tombstoneteeth · 16/05/2018 09:08

*Camilla will be the end of the Commonwealth

What on earth is that based on?confused
We've recently had a Commonwealth meeting where HMQ made it very clear that she expected PC to be the next head of the Commonwealth and it seemed to be accepted.
Diana would might have caused problems if she was still alive. But she's not.*
Are you in a Commonwealth country? If not, how can you possibly gauge the feelings of these people?

KeepingTheWormsQuiet · 16/05/2018 09:08

If you have a stupid system like an hereditary monarchy then you can't pick and choose who you get. The wife of the king will be called Queen. I don't know why people would think otherwise just because they don't like Camilla.

Also Meghan Markle will not become a Princess when she marries Harry. Just like Kate isn't Princess Katharine and Sophie isn't Princess Sophie. She will probably be given a Duchess title like they were. I'm a bit sick of the fawning "becoming a princess" stuff on the news.

BertrandRussell · 16/05/2018 09:09

"What people forget is that Diana was FAR from perfect, in fact she was actually very manipulative and played the press and people in general to her advantage."

I don't forget that. And I am looking at this from the outside as an interested observer because I think the whole thing is a rather embarrassing charade. But that does not detract from the fact that Charles and Camilla behaved in a wholly despicable way. And I suspect that very few of us would forgive people in our private lives who did the same.

AndhowcouldIeverrefuse · 16/05/2018 09:10

I find the rehabilitation of Charles and Camilla in the eyes of the public utterly extraordinary

Me too. Adultery is fundamental dishonesty and not compatible with "a strong sense of royal duty". You can't have it both ways - if you want the freedom of the commoner please abdicate.

WorldWideWanderer · 16/05/2018 09:10

Why should Charles abdicate...he is the rightful heir. I am very fond of him and hope to see him King one day....quite happy to see Camilla as queen.
To those who talk about Charles's affair, might remember that Diana had affairs too, more than one. Their marriage wasn't good from the start, they didn't know each other well and the age gap too large; sad for both of them. I think we should have compassion and move on....

BalloonSlayer · 16/05/2018 09:11

As Harry memorably said, no one wants the top job

Funny how for a thousand years people have schemed, murdered, manipulated, married off their daughters to cruel men, and started wars to get it though, isn't it?

Funny how it's only when people point out how they get all this money and privilege by doing sod all that they all start whinging about how so very difficult it all is.

MurielsBottom · 16/05/2018 09:11

Cross post there Bertrand - thank you for explaining.

Typically Kings and Queens have not been bothered so much by public opinion. It is a very recent idea that the royal family should do as the public want rather than carry on regardless.

Luisa27 · 16/05/2018 09:12

She is a really lovely lady - very very funny too

PickwickThePlockingDodo · 16/05/2018 09:15

Why would Queen Elizabeth give him the name Charles if she didn't intend for him to keep it when he became King?

Yes, I don't understand this either. Why would he change his name when he becomes king? She may as well have just named him Kevin then Grin

tombstoneteeth · 16/05/2018 09:15

MurielsBottom I think that you will find that history does not bear out your assertion. George III, the disreputable Hanoverians, the Widow of Windsor, Charlie I - lots of say from the public about them - some of the political cartoons were scandalous and bordering on pornographic.

CurlyWurlyTwirly · 16/05/2018 09:16

Most of the sovereign’s duties have been handed over to Charles. He does all the investitures etc, overseas tours etc. The Royal Family has been slimmed down at his behest.

When they announced Prince Phillip’s retirement, the Queen has retired too, apart from high profile events from what I can see.
I think she just wants a decade of peace with her husband, dogs & horses.

The succession is safe with William, Kate & their children.

Their is already a future King George VII - Prince George of Cambridge.
Why should Charles change his name?

MarshaBradyo · 16/05/2018 09:17

Oh agree on ‘no one wants the job’ - because what a hoot to have all that privilege and be left alone. It’s not some huge statement to be admired

Camilla got hammered in the early media - like Kate, Fergie and Meghan but people like her now. Charles could do with a boost

QueenDaisy · 16/05/2018 09:17

MurielsBottom

Thanks for the explanation Smile

Original poster
LoveInTokyo · 16/05/2018 09:18

“Me too. Adultery is fundamental dishonesty and not compatible with "a strong sense of royal duty". You can't have it both ways - if you want the freedom of the commoner please abdicate.”

Grin

Just because the Queen has been straight laced and well behaved all her life doesn’t mean all monarchs are!

What about Henry VIII, eh?

If infidelity was grounds for abdication then we would have had a lot more abdications.

OP posts:
BertrandRussell · 16/05/2018 09:18

"To those who talk about Charles's affair, might remember that Diana had affairs too, more than one"
Charles did not "have an affair". He married a teenager while maintaining a relationship with another woman which he only made token attempts to hide.