What Happens To Queen Camilla When Prince William Becomes King?

After meeting King Charles in the early 1970s, Queen Camilla's life was never the same. In the 1990s, their affair became public, she weathered a storm of negative opinions. The queen's role as a working royal began when she and Charles got married in April 2005, and over the decades, public perceptions changed. "They're beginning to see that she's a very hardworking, very gracious, humorous, unpretentious woman, actually, who has definitely improved Charles' life and has really transformed him into being an unapologetically happy man," royal author Tina Brown explained to NPR in 2023.

When the line of succession moved forward and Charles became king, Camilla's role expanded as she was crowned alongside her husband. Charles waited almost 71 years to take the throne, making him a Guinness World record holder. In contrast, his mom, Queen Elizabeth, was 25 when she became the monarch. Unfortunately, this means that Charles' reign won't be nearly as long as the 70-plus years Elizabeth held the title. However long his reign lasts, Camilla is reportedly looking to make the most of her role as queen. "She loves her responsibilities," a source informed Us Weekly. "She has always wanted to be queen, so she doesn't want to let it go so fast."

Even so, one day William, Prince of Wales will take the throne. While some things will change for Camilla, like her royal title, other aspects of her life and royal work could remain the same.

When Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022, the role of monarch passed on to King Charles III. His wife, Queen Camilla, then became queen consort. While Camilla's royal title had been up in the air in the years leading up to Charles' ascension, Elizabeth officially weighed in on the matter in February 2022, when she issued a public statement on the royal website, writing, "It is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as queen consort as she continues her own loyal service."

Around the time of Charles' coronation in May 2023, the consort portion of her title was no longer used. Even so, the idea is implied, since Camilla married into the royal family, rather than being born into it. For this reason, when William, Prince of Wales, succeeds his father as king, Camilla's title will change again, probably to "queen dowager" — a title which would reflect her status as a widow.

Queen dowager is an unfamiliar designation. The most recent royal to be styled this way held the title for only 12 years, and she lived in the mid-1800s. In contrast, the most recent widow of a king was Queen Elizabeth's mom. She was known as the Queen Mother, and she held the title for 50 years. Since she was also named Elizabeth, her title was essential for eliminating confusion. In Camilla's case, however, William is her stepson, so the queen mother title doesn't apply.

Unfortunately for Queen Camilla, the circumstances of William, Prince of Wales, becoming king are likely to coincide with the death of King Charles. In this case, she'd be dealing with profound grief in addition to changes to her royal situation. As the new king, William would be the primary decision maker for the firm. "Every aspect of her public and private life would be reviewed," Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, explained to USA Today. 

William could also become king during Charles' lifetime if Charles chooses to abdicate. Charles' cancer diagnosis in 2024 caused some to speculate how it would impact his role as king. "Cancer has changed him . . . there's no one he'd rather spend his time with than Camilla," a sourced informed Woman's Day. "Stepping aside could be what gives him more time with her." However, some royal authorities this an unlikely event. "That's just not in his psyche," royal expert Charles Rae asserted to The Royal Observer. "He's not going to give it all up and sit in some retirement home somewhere." 

Regardless of when William becomes king, Camilla will likely have plenty of knowledge about the succession plans. Ensuring a smooth transition between monarchs is important, and Charles has been working out the details for William's eventual reign long before he was undergoing cancer treatment. Even with time to mentally prepare, however, she may find it difficult.

After William, Prince of Wales becomes king, some of Queen Camilla's royal workload will likely change. Camilla and William have had a reportedly messy relationship at times, and it's unclear how their pasts could impact their future interactions once William is in charge. According to author Christopher Andersen, William and his step-mom aren't super close. Andersen asserted to Us Weekly that the queen "has always been a little afraid of William." 

However, other individuals believe that Camilla and William's connection has strengthened over the years, as the family has worked though difficulties together, like Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex's departure from his role as a working royal. In addition, Camilla and William also have the common ground of caring for spouses during cancer treatments. In March 2024, William and Camilla attended royal events together, and their body language displayed evidence of a comfortable connection.

Regardless of personal opinions, given that there are fewer working senior royals these days, Camilla may be needed to participate in various events. "There is going to be a seriously underweight monarchy when potentially you would just have King William and Queen Catherine dealing with it, doing all of it until their children come of age," Gareth Russell, a royal historian, hypothesized to Us Weekly. In a case where Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis are still in school when William takes the throne, Camilla's assistance and royal experience could be invaluable.

Queen Camilla began her royal charitable work in 2005, and it's plausible that she'll remain involved with projects that have been part of her life long before she became queen. "Camilla would likely keep up her charitable roles related to literacy and domestic violence," Carolyn Harris, a University of Toronto historian, surmised to USA Today. The queen's work to promote reading stretches back to 2010 when she began working with National Literacy Trust. In 2021, she created her own organization, which was later named "The Queen's Reading Room. The charity's website includes book recommendations, including those curated by Camilla, as well as authors reading excepts from their own work. Starting in 2023, the organization also launched an annual literary festival, which Camilla has attended.

Since 2009, Camilla has been working to support survivors of rape and domestic violence. Seven years later, she expanded her efforts and became involved with SafeLives, and she interacted with survivors and families as they've shared difficult experiences. In 2024, Camilla participated in a documentary to raise awareness of the topic, and she mentioned her lifetime commitment to this cause. "We have made a huge amount of progress. And I shall keep on trying until I am able to no more," Camilla vowed (via Daily Mail). Before she became queen, Camilla made a similar comment about persevering with this advocacy work. "You can't desert things that you're in the middle of," she informed British Vogue in July 2022.

King Charles has an impressive array of U.K. homes. He and Queen Camilla have lived at Clarence House since before their marriage, and they may live at Buckingham Palace after construction wraps in 2027. Once William, Prince of Wales, becomes king, however, Camilla could find herself packing and moving again, possibly to a royal property of William's choosing. "It's at [William's] discretion, definitely, but I'm sure King Charles III would have his own wishes made clear about that," Carolyn Harris, a University of Toronto historian, mused to USA Today.

In August 2024, some people speculated Charles might eventually want Camilla to live at Royal Lodge, the current home of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, Duke and Duchess of York. "He wants to have a space for her in a private area . . . close enough to the family and close enough to where she will be safe," Kinsey Schofield, a royal commentator, explained to TalkTV.

Royal residences aside, Camilla is fortunate to have has another housing option. Since the mid-1990s, Camilla's owned Ray Mill House, an opulent estate with spacious grounds. "Ray Mill is the only place where she can literally and metaphorically kick off her shoes and spend time with family and friends in a really informal setting," one source informed The Telegraph. "It's an escape from royal life." This opportunity for privacy and relaxation might suits Camilla's needs perfectly when her royal role changes in the future.