Thanks Mum!
After Queen Elizabeth II expressed her "sincere wish" for Prince Charles' wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, to be known as "Queen Consort" when he takes the throne, the Prince Of Wales released his own statement honoring his royal mother while paying tribute to his "daring" spouse.
"On this historic day, my wife and I join you all in congratulating Her Majesty The Queen on the remarkable achievement of serving this nation, the Realms and Commonwealth for seventy years, he said in a statement Feb. 6. "The Queen's devotion to the welfare of all her people inspires still greater admiration with each passing year."
He continued, "We are deeply conscious of the honour represented by my mother's wish. As we have sought together to serve and support Her Majesty and the people of our communities, my darling wife has been my own steadfast support throughout."
Charles' message was released on the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's Accession Day, known as her Platinum Jubilee.
The day before, the 95-year-old monarch made her intentions for her daughter-in-law's future title clear.
"When, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes King, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me," she said in a statement released by Buckingham Palace, "and it is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service."
According to The Guardian, a queen consort is defined as the wife of a reigning king. After Camilla and Charles were married in 2005, the palace declared she would be known as HRH The Duchess of Cornwall—rather than the Princess of Wales, a title used by his ex-wife, the late Princess Diana.
The Queen's late husband, Prince Philip, served as the consort of the British monarch from Elizabeth's accession in 1952 until his death in April 2021, making him the longest-serving royal consort in history.
Elizabeth ascended to the throne on Feb. 6, 1952 following the death of her father King George VI. Her official coronation took place the following April.
In her official Accession Day statement, Elizabeth reflected on her seven decade reign and expressed her hope for the future saying, "As I look forward to continuing to serve you with all my heart. I hope this Jubilee will bring together families and friends, neighbours and communities – after some difficult times for so many of us – in order to enjoy the celebrations and to reflect on the positive developments in our day-to-day lives that have so happily coincided with my reign."