Queen Consort Camilla 'hid away' after King Charles affair was revealed, royal author says: 'It's been very painful'
Angela Levin, author of 'Camilla: From Outcast to Queen Consort,' looks back at how the royal faced intense public scrutiny following the breakdown of King Charles and Princess Diana's marriage.
When it comes to the coronation, family comes first.
In a "bold move," the grandchildren of Camilla, queen consort, will have an official role at the upcoming ceremony, the U.K. Times recently reported. The children are expected to be by their grandmother’s side during the most sacred moment of the event, which takes place on May 6.
The 75-year-old has five grandchildren, who affectionately call her "GaGa." Her son, Tom Parker Bowles, has Lola, 15, and Freddy, 13, and her daughter, Laura Lopes, has Eliza, 15, and twins, Louis and Gus, 13.
Charles, the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth, became king upon the death of Britain's longest-reigning monarch in September. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
"This idea draws attention to the king and queen’s blended family situation – theirs is a second marriage for both of them," royal commentator and broadcaster Jonathan Sacerdoti told Fox News Digital.
"Acknowledging the blended nature of their family in such an open and proud way will be seen as them actively choosing to reflect the many other blended families that increasingly make up the United Kingdom population," he shared. "These days, more and more people have stepchildren and step-grandchildren, and it will be important for them to see the royal family taking a more inclusive stance."
"The royal family is of course quite different from the rest of us, but they also reflect many of the social changes that have taken place for the wider public," Sacerdoti added.
The former Prince of Wales and his new bride with their children, from left, Prince Harry, Prince William, Laura Parker Bowles and Tom Parker Bowles at Windsor Castle on April 9, 2005, after their wedding ceremony. (Anwar Hussein Collection/ROTA/WireImage)
Charles became the king upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September.
According to the report, the teens will hold a canopy over Camilla’s head as she is anointed with holy oil. The act is significant as it’s normally reserved for duchesses, titled members of the British aristocracy. The grandchildren aren’t titleholders and have been largely shielded from the spotlight by their parents.
A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace didn’t immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. However, a palace source told the outlet that the queen consort has said she "does not want duchesses."
"She would like it to be her grandchildren," the insider added.
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King Charles holds Camilla's granddaughter next to Kate Middleton's parents Michael and Carole Middleton, just after the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. (Stephane Cardinale/Corbis via Getty Images)
The palace previously shared that the featured roles for members of the king and queen’s family are part of a ceremony that "will reflect the monarch’s role today and look toward the future while being rooted in long-standing traditions and pageantry."
Sacerdoti noted the image is meant to invoke that Camilla and King Charles III are "loving parents and grandparents." The couple married in 2005.
"The king ascended to the throne at a relatively old age, and by including loved teenage members of the family in the coronation ceremony, he will help connect it to the younger generation and also show the more loving, family side to both the king and queen," said Sacerdoti.
King Charles and Camilla, queen consort, have a close bond with their grandchildren. The king is seen here holding his grandson Prince Louis, the youngest child of Prince William and Kate Middleton, during the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II in June 2022. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
"The anointing is one of the most sacred moments of the ceremony, so to be involved in it directly would be an enormous honor," he shared. "It would be a sign of great trust and love to include Camilla’s grandchildren that way. And it will also include them very publicly, with people watching all around the world, many noting them for the first time. They aren’t high-profile people in the same way the king’s grandchildren are because they were not born royal."
The grandchildren also have a close bond with the king, 74.
"Back in 2017 at a children’s literary event, [Camilla] explained how he had read her grandchildren ‘Harry Potter’ books, doing voices for the different characters," said Sacerdoti. "She has said that he was extremely good with her grandchildren, and it’s clear he feels a lot of warmth toward them.
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Prince George, the eldest child of Prince William and Kate Middleton, is expected to have a prominent role at his grandfather's coronation. (Karwai Tang/WireImage)
"Though they aren’t often seen in public at royal events, this won’t be the first time they face the glare of the public and the media. Eliza was a bridesmaid at Prince William and [Kate Middleton’s] wedding in 2011, for example, and was seen on the balcony of Buckingham Palace being picked up by the now king to see the crowds."
"The queen consort has also spoken about how she kept in touch with her grandchildren using the app Houseparty, which allows group conversations," he also revealed.
Prince George, the eldest son of Prince William, is also expected to have a prominent role in the ceremony. It’s a major change from the queen’s coronation in 1953 when a young Charles, who was 4 at the time, merely watched from the congregation.
It's unclear whether the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will attend the coronation of King Charles III with their two young children, Archie and Lilibet. (Chris Jackson)
Royal sources claimed that Charles’ younger son Prince Harry, and his wife, Meghan Markle, will be added to the coronation guest list. However, it’s unclear whether the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will attend.
The couple announced they were stepping back from royal duties in 2020. They now reside in California with their two young children.
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