Duchess Camilla has 'royal wave down to a tee' as she prepares for Queenhood

Camilla Parker Bowles has perfected the 'royal wave' she'll need to become Queen, according to a royal expert. 

• Camilla Parker Bowles has perfected the 'royal wave' that the Queen has used for decades, according to a royal expert. 
• The Duchess of Cornwall will become Queen Consort when Prince Charles ascends the throne, Her Majesty revealed at the weekend. 
• In other royal news, Duchess Camilla grabs hold of the gold while hosting her first event since Queen Consort news.
  

The Duchess of Cornwall has nailed the Her Majesty's 'royal wave' as she prepares for the most significant chapter of her public service, according to a royal correspondent. 

Queen Elizabeth II confirmed on Sunday that Camilla will be Queen Consort when Prince Charles is crowned King, bringing an end to years of speculation about the royal spouse's future in the British monarchy. 

In a letter shared on the day of her Platinum Jubilee 2022, the monarch expressed that it was her "sincerest wish" that the Duchess assume the regal title upon the Prince of Wales' ascension to the throne. The decision was likely made in recognition of the 74-year-old's commitment to serving the nation since marrying into the Royal Family in 2005. 

Prince Charles has welcomed the honor, praising his "darling wife" for her "steadfast support" in light of the exciting promotion. 

While the announcement may come as a surprise to the public, it hasn't exactly been a secret within the royal bubble. 

Duchess Camilla’s new title has been 'a done deal' for years, according to a Mail Online source, despite 'nervousness' around the nation's opinion. In fact, the Royal Family almost confirmed she would be Queen in 2019, but pulled back over concerns that the 'timing' wasn't right. 

Fast forward three years, and it appears that Her Majesty finally feels comfortable delivering the news. It's understood that the 95-year-old believes that Camilla "deserved" the lofty title, after proving herself as a valuable player on the Royal Family's exclusive team. 

"She’s never once tried to overshadow her husband, she’s always played a supportive role to the Prince of Wales," another Mail Online source said. "He is her top priority. But she has also carved a role out for herself, has traveled hundreds of thousands of miles on thousands of engagements, taken on some really powerful causes such as violence against women, but is still cheerfully willing to go to the back-end of beyond to cut ribbons and shake hands." 

While it remains unknown just when the Duchess will be crowned, it looks like she's already got one important Queen-y skill in the bag. 

"Camilla has got the royal wave down to a tee," Sky's royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills writes. "After all those years of unwanted media attention, Camilla is clearly seizing this moment to get her message heard." 

What is the Queen's 'royal wave'? 

The Queen's 'royal wave' is often considered the monarch's signature gesture, regularly cropping up when she greets large crowds and appears on camera. 

The greeting is characterized by "a vertical hand with a slight twist from the wrist," according to royal expert Victoria Arbiter, that also "oozes decorum but doesn't get too excitable." 

While the slow, repetitive movement may look strenuous, it was actually adopted by the Queen for a very practical reason. It's been reported the Royal Family became aware of the health risks of frequent waving and handshakes after King Edward VIII, Her Majesty's uncle, was forced to rest his wrist after greeting so many people on tour. The solution was the 'royal wave'—a happy medium that allowed the British aristocrats to acknowledge large crowds without overstraining their precious hands. Sounds pretty clever to us!