Queen 'banned' Camilla’s name in her presence after Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s marriage breakdown

Some claim the Queen banned Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall's name from being spoken in her presence after her son Prince Charles’ marriage to Princess Diana broke down.

• A royal expert has claimed that the Queen "did everything she possibly could" to avoid Camilla's name being used in her presence. 
• Some suggest that Duchess Camilla was perceived as the one who had "broken up" Prince Charles and Princess Diana's marriage. 
• In other Royal News (opens in new tab), the Queen has cancelled all garden parties for 2021 (opens in new tab). 

The Prince and Princess of Wales (opens in new tab) divorced in 1996. Two years after her tragic death in 1997, Prince Charles is thought to have begun appearing in public with Camilla. The couple later married - with the Queen’s blessing - in 2005. Today Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla (opens in new tab)are thought to have been included in Her Majesty’s reported new “Firm of Eight” (opens in new tab) senior royals. 

However it seemingly wasn’t always the case and some have suggested that the Queen was not keen to accept her son’s relationship (opens in new tab) with Camilla initially. This is thought to be due to the controversy their romance sparked. 

Now a royal expert has claimed that at one time, the Queen wouldn't allow Camilla’s name to be spoken in her presence. 

Why did the Queen ban Camilla’s name in her presence? 

As reported by Express.co.uk, royal expert Katie Nicholls has revealed that the Queen was so reluctant to accept Camilla at first that she tried to avoid having her name spoken in her presence. 

Speaking on Channel 5 documentary 'The Royals at War', Ms Nicholls reportedly said: "The Queen did everything she possibly could not to have Camilla's name mentioned in her presence.”

She went on to say: “if the Queen was to refer to Camilla, I don't even think it was by name". 

Ms. Nicholls’ suggestion was added to by fellow royal expert Penny Junor, who said: "Camilla's reputation at that time had gone through the floor”. She revealed that Camilla “was perceived as the one who had broken up the royal marriage between Charles and Diana".

According to Express.co.uk, the Queen's former press secretary, Dickie Arbiter, noted: "The Queen is the supreme governor of the Church of England” and that "she believes in the sanctity of marriage and is very disappointed when any marriage goes down the tubes”.

He disclosed: “She just didn't want to see it happen on another marriage where her son was involved”. He suggested that “it was that that was putting the block in her accepting Prince Charles' relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles".

Will Camilla be queen? 

Upon her marriage to Prince Charles in 2005, Camilla became Duchess of Cornwall. As the wife of the Prince of Wales, Camilla’s title technically would have been Princess of Wales. 

However as for so many people the late Princess Diana (opens in new tab) was still strongly associated with this particular title, Duchess of Cornwall was used, as one of Prince Charles’ other titles is Duke of Cornwall. 

Now Duchess Camilla seems to have been entirely accepted by the Royal Family as a senior royal. 

However, it has been reported that when Prince Charles ascends to the throne, she will not be referred to as his “queen’. Instead, it was understood she will be known as Princess Consort.

According to Harper’s Bazaar, a spokesperson for the royal couple told The Times in 2020: "The intention is for the duchess to be known as princess consort when the prince accedes to the throne." They reportedly stated, “This was announced at the time of the marriage and there has been absolutely no change at all.”

It has recently been announced that Duchess Camilla is launching an online Reading Room. This book club will release its Winter Season titles on 15th January.