Around the coronation last year, there was an interesting and macabre discussion about what would happen if Queen Camilla survived her husband. The Windsors and their staff make all kinds of contingency plans, and obviously they are dealing with a king and consort in their 70s, so I understand why the courtiers were already considering what would happen if X, Y or Z happened. In any case, the courtiers seemed to settle on the idea that if Camilla survives her husband, her new title would be Dowager Queen Camilla. What goes unsaid is that the title and style a widowed Camilla would receive will be largely up to King William, and I even suggested last year that William would probably prefer something like Dowager Consort. I was reminded of that story and conversation this week because, following King Charles’s cancer diagnosis, friends of Charles and Camilla claim that Charles is more concerned about Camilla than himself.
The King will be most concerned for the Queen in the wake of his cancer diagnosis, his closest friends have said. Dame Julia Cleverdon, who served as chief executive of one of the King’s charity organisations when he was Prince of Wales, and Lord Dobbs, a friend of Their Majesties, discussed the repercussions of the King’s health revelation on the rest of the Royal family.
Dame Julia, who worked closely with the monarch while running Business in the Community, said: “The real heroine it seems to me in all of this is Queen Camilla, who he will be most concerned, I suspect, about the effect on her and the conversations and the load that she will take as he goes through his treatment.”
The King began regular treatment at a London hospital on Monday, as an outpatient, but has not revealed what type of cancer he has or what kind of treatment he is undergoing. However, the Palace confirmed that he did not have prostate cancer after the illness was discovered during his corrective surgery for a benign enlarged prostate.
Dame Julia, who was also a special adviser to the Prince’s Charities, the King’s non-profit organisation, is such a trusted friend of the monarch’s that within hours of Princess Diana’s death, he rang her for advice on how to speak to his two sons. She has gradually reduced her workload over the years but at one point was said to speak to the then heir to the throne twice a day. She was appointed DCVO at the personal direction of the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2008.
Dame Julia told the Today programme that the King “loves to work” and will be “very disappointed at the disruption to his plans” from his cancer diagnosis.
“He will be awash with the things that he can’t do as he steps back, but he will be absolutely clear and totally determined to do everything he can to recover fast and well,” she added.
The 73-year-old also hailed the support that the rest of the Royal family has shown him, including his sister the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Waleses.
“I’m absolutely sure that this reign will continue…and that he will be A, knowledgeable, B, determined and C, absolutely clear that the show will go on,” she said.
Putting aside my personal feelings about the monarchy, it’s going to be hard on both Charles and Camilla and they have my sympathy. I also think Charles is very concerned about Camilla, and I’m sure people inside the monarchy are concerned too. Camilla has always “managed” Charles and his moods, and a lot of what comes next will fall on her shoulders. And that’s always tough, to be the spouse of someone going through a big medical situation or illness. Add to that, there will be the expectation that Camilla balance being there for Charles and trying to cover for him at public events. It’s a lot to put on a 76-year-old woman. The reason I mentioned the “what if Camilla survives her husband” issue is because I bet that’s also something concerning both Charles and Camilla – while Camilla has gathered a lot of power in recent years, so much of it is dependent on her proximity to Charles and the crown.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
Nairobi, Kenya, 01 November 2023: Britain’s Queen Camilla (center) is presented with Masai traditional regalia, by Masai women during a visit to the Brooke Donkey Sanctuary in Nairobi, Kenya. The equine welfare charity Brooke is working with the Kenya Society for the Protection and Care of Animals (KSPCA) to rescue donkeys at risk, and promote their welfare.,Image: 818762439, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: ***NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS***, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: BEN STANSALL / Avalon 
Image Licensed to i-Images Picture Agency. 07/11/2023. London, United Kingdom. State Opening Parliament. The State Opening of Parliament in London.,Image: 820415032, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Licenced to i-Images Picture Agency. All Rights Reserved. UK copyright law applies to all print & online publications. i-Images space rates apply to all images. Magazines contact agency for fees before use. Images Single use only then repro fees apply. Inf, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Martyn Wheatley / i-Images / Avalon 
Britain’s King Charles III sits besides Queen Camilla during the State Opening of Parliament at the Palace of Westminster in London, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023. King Charles III sits on a gilded throne and will read out the King’s Speech, a list of planned laws drawn up by the Conservative government and aimed at winning over voters ahead of an election next year.,Image: 820442702, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WPA POOL ALL IN, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Kirsty Wigglesworth / Avalon
London, UK 07th Nov 2023. HRH King Charles III and Queen Camilla in the carriage. The Royal Procession and carriage, on the procession route following the King’s Speech and State Opening of Parliament .,Image: 820443545, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Imageplotter / Avalon 
His Majesty King Charles III and Queen Camilla during the State Opening of Parliament in London, England, UK, 07 November 2023,Image: 820447866, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Licenced to i-Images Picture Agency. All Rights Reserved. UK copyright law applies to all print & online publications. i-Images space rates apply to all images. Magazines contact agency for fees before use. Images Single use only then repro fees apply. Info@i-images.co Tel: 07860204379, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Martyn Wheatley / i-Images / Avalon 
King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrive at a state banquet at State House in Nairobi, on day one of the State Visit to Kenya. Featuring: Camilla Queen Consort, King Charles III Where: Nairobi, Kenya When: 31 Oct 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
King Charles III, as Captain General of the Royal Marines, and Queen Camilla, during a visit to Mtongwe Naval Base in Mombasa, for a ceremonial welcome and to watch the Kenya Marines, trained by His Majesty’s Royal Marines, demonstrating a covert beach landing, showing defence collaboration in action, on day three of the state visit to Kenya. Featuring: King Charles III, Camilla Queen Consort Where: Kuruwitu, Kenya When: 02 Nov 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY** 
King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the Palace of Westminster during the State Opening of Parliament in the House of Lords, London. Featuring: King Charles III, Queen Camilla Where: London, United Kingdom When: 07 Nov 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY** 
King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the Palace of Westminster during the State Opening of Parliament in the House of Lords, London. Featuring: King Charles III, Queen Camilla Where: London, United Kingdom When: 07 Nov 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pLHLnpmirJOdxm%2BvzqZmcW1maH5xe8qipaCXk52us7jErJaiq4%2BivLTAvpymp5uVp7umsL6amaitpJSwornIpaOal5akua271qKloJeYnsCgr8Cnmp6qj5m2orPNqKqiq18%3D