This article was one of Herald Lifestyle’s best-read stories of 2023.
Tensions are growing between one future Queen and the newly crowned, following King Charles’ coronation, claims a royal biographer.
Tom Bower spoke to Dan Wootton Tonight alleging the Princess of Wales refused to curtsy to Queen Camilla because she is “angry” with her over the coronation ceremony’s guest list.
He said the princess wasn’t alone in her anger at Camilla either. Those who worked hard behind the scenes to transform Camilla’s status as Charles’ mistress to bona fide Queen were also said to be furious that they weren’t extended an invitation to the once-in-a-lifetime event.
“If you look at the coronation footage, as the King and Queen leave the thrones and head for the exit of Westminster Abbey, you’ll see that everyone bows and curtsies to the King and no one moves a limb, a muscle, when Camilla passes,” he said.
“And that’s because they were angry with Camilla” who allegedly invited “20 Parker Bowles’ to the coronation” while the princess was permitted just “four Middletons”.
Bower claims the anger “... went right through that small part of the congregation by the throne, at the centre of Westminster Abbey.
“And in that moment it was absolutely noticeable to those people who had been excluded that nobody – let alone Kate – curtsied to Queen Camilla.”
The rumblings extended to the coronation concert where Bower notes William in his speech “makes no reference to Queen Camilla. So there is a tension there”.
He said while Camilla appears “exhausted”, the princess is picking up the slack.
“Those who met her in the weeks before the Coronation noticed a very tired, very worn-out woman with tell-tale signs of age and she’s clearly exhausted by the whole thing.
“That’s why today, Kate was in Bristol behaving like the Queen, very popular with the public.
“But Camilla has disappeared and that is a dangerous position for Charles to be in.”
The royal was allegedly left stone-faced after a run-in with her sister-in-law, Princess Anne, the night before the coronation took place.
According to news.com.au, in the midst of a regal coronation banquet held at Buckingham Palace, Anne confronted Camilla over her new title, telling the soon-to-be-crowned royal her title is Queen Consort and not Queen.
Princess Diana’s former dressmaker, David Emanuel, also spoke to Wootton and revealed he was aware of the interaction and that “apparently the Princess Royal said, ‘You’re not Queen, you’re the Queen’s consort’”.
“I understood from Her Majesty the Queen, she said she should be Queen Consort. Now suddenly she’s now going to be Queen.
“And it’s very difficult because a lot of people have told me they were unhappy about it.”
This article was originally published on May 19, 2023.
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