Camilla, Charles and Queen Elizabeth on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Platinum Jubilee in June 2022.Photo:Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty
Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty
The end of the summer will come with an emotional anniversary forKing CharlesandQueen Camilla.
On Sept. 8, the royal family will mark one year since the death ofQueen Elizabethand the accession of the King. Nearly a year ago, Queen Elizabeth died “peacefully” at age 96 atBalmoral Castlein Scotland, hours after her doctors announced they were “concerned” for her health.
King Charles, 74, and Queen Camilla, 76, are expected to spend the day quietly and privately, as Queen Elizabeth used to do on her ownAccession Day. PEOPLE understands that there are no plans for a public event.
The royals at Balmoral in 1951.PA Images via Getty
PA Images via Getty
Queen Elizabeth’s life changed on February 6, 1952, when her father,King George VI, died — making her the sovereign at age 25. In the years that followed, she traditionally spent her Accession Day privately at Sandringham House, where her father died and where the royal familygathers for Christmas.
The emotional nature of her Accession Day also came with a celebratory element, and the tradition will continue for Charles. Westminster Abbey, where the coronations of Queen Elizabeth and her eldest son were held, will ring the bells on Sept. 8 in honor of Charles’ Accession Day, according to theabbey. In another tribute, a 21-gun salute will be fired in the royal parks of London as a sign of respect on King Charles’ Sept. 8 Accession Day, the royal family’swebsitestates.
What would becomeQueen Elizabeth’sfinal Accession Dayin February 2022 wasespecially significantas it marked 70 years on the throne. She became Britain’s longest-reigning monarch some years before when she surpassed Queen Victoria’s 63 year-reign, and she was also the first U.K. sovereign to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee. The epic anniversary was celebrated throughout 2022, including a long weekend of events in June includingTrooping the Colourand thePlatinum Party at the Palace.
Queen Elizabeth also used her historic Accession Day in 2022 to make a major announcement: that she wanted Camilla to be known as Queen Consort when Charles took the throne one day.
In a message, she wrote, “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; 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.”
“They couldn’t wait until Charles was actually King — it had to come from the Queen herself,” a royal insidersaid at the time. “Now was a good time because of the Jubilee — it was almost tailor-made for this timing.”
“Queen Consort” is the traditional title for the wife of a reigning monarch, and one that had long been open to question for Camilla. When she married then-Prince Charlesin 2005, it was said that she would be known as Princess Consort.
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On Sept. 9, 2022 — the day after Queen Elizabeth’s death — King Charlesofficially named Camilla as Queen Consortin his first speech as monarch.
As of the coronation on May 6, “consort”has been droppedfrom her title, and she is styled simply as Queen Camilla in official communications.
According to theBBC, it was thought that Charles’ wife would be known as Queen Consort for the start of the reign to distinguish her fromQueen Elizabeth, with the coronation creating an appropriate moment to instate the Queen title.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla.Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
source: people.com
