Queen Elizabeth Confirms Prince Charles Will Be King, Dispelling Rumors Of William Taking The Throne
It has been 70 years since Queen Elizabeth assumed the royal throne. To celebrate this momentous anniversary, she released a letter renewing her pledge of service – and hinting at a few other things.
Queen Elizabeth II is 95 years old and still going strong. February 6 marked 70 years of her role as queen, and she has a few things she wanted to share in a letter released on February 5.
Queen Elizabeth Says Prince Charles Is Going To Assume the Throne
The queen happily renewed her commitment to the people of the Commonwealth, stating that her life "will always be devoted to your service." She expressed gratitude and said she looks to the future "with a sense of hope and optimism."
"These last seven decades have seen extraordinary progress socially, technologically and culturally that have benefitted us all," she wrote. "I am confident that the future will offer similar opportunities to us and especially to the younger generations in the United Kingdom and throughout the Commonwealth."
Perhaps the biggest eye-opener in the letter was her confirmation that Prince Charles is going to assume the throne. This may not sound like news to some, but there have been rumors circulating for a while that Prince Charles would forfeit his right to the throne and instead Prince William would become king. The queen has put those rumors to rest once and for all.
"And 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 wrote.
Queen Elizabeth Named Camilla Parker as Queen Consort
Prior to this letter, we had known Camilla Parker, Prince Charles' wife, as Princess Consort. She was meant to keep this title indefinitely, even if Prince Charles were to become king; this decision took into account the controversial situation involving the death of Princess Diana and the fact that Camilla had been married and divorced prior to her marriage to Prince Charles. But it seems that Queen Elizabeth now has different plans for Camilla Parker.
"And when my son Charles becomes King, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me."
"It is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service," she wrote.
Queen Elizabeth May Have Thrown Some Shade at Meghan Markle
We admit we're fully in the realm of speculation here, but we can't help but wonder: did Queen Elizabeth take a dig at Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex? We know that her marriage to Prince Harry has been the center of attention for many reasons, one being their decision to step back from their royal duties in 2020. The couple has received much criticism for this decision and were accused of abandoning their family for selfish reasons.
"I was blessed that in Prince Philip I had a partner willing to carry out the role of consort and unselfishly make the sacrifices that go with it," the letter stated. "It is a role I saw my own mother perform during my father's reign."
This could be a hint that Meghan Markle has taken Prince Harry away from his necessary duties, rather than "unselfishly mak[ing] the sacrifices" needed to stay devoted to the royal family.
It might be a stretch, but then again it wouldn't be surprising to know that Queen Elizabeth isn't happy with the impact that the Duchess of Sussex is having on her family.