4 Things Princess Kate Would Have as Queen That Camilla Never Would

Princess Kate is set to be the future Queen, but her life after taking the role could look quite different from Queen Camilla’s. A lot of that comes down to the different paths they took into the Royal Family and, more importantly, who they married. By the time Kate takes the throne beside William, she could find herself with a few privileges Camilla never had.

Kate could one day have a title Camilla can never claim: Queen Mother. The title is associated with a former Queen Consort whose child goes on to become the reigning monarch, as happened with Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, after her daughter Elizabeth II took the throne. If Prince George eventually becomes King while Kate is still alive, she could take on the same role. Camilla, as William’s stepmother rather than his mother, could never do the same. The title of Queen Mother is a lifelong title that comes with its own autonomous household.

Kate’s children already have a place in the line of succession that Camilla’s children never will. Prince George is currently second in line to the throne, followed by Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, and their positions will become even more significant once their father, Prince William, becomes King. Meanwhile, Camilla’s children, Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes, have no place in the line of succession because they are not descendants of the sovereign.

Camilla made history at her coronation, but not by getting a brand-new crown. Instead, she wore Queen Mary’s 1911 crown, marking the first time in modern history that an existing crown had been used for a Queen Consort rather than commissioning a new one. This was because of fears of public backlash given Princess Diana's memory and over royal spending. The Palace said in a statement, “The choice of Queen Mary’s crown by Her Majesty is the first time in recent history that an existing crown will be used for the coronation of a consort instead of a new commission being made, in the interests of sustainability and efficiency.” With Kate, who is more favored by the public, we might see the old tradition of having a custom crown be brought back.

British monarchs have often been laid to rest alongside their spouses, as seen with King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and later Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. That tradition could continue with William and Kate. Although Charles and Camilla could also share a resting place at St George’s Chapel, no plans have been confirmed. Frogmore’s Royal Burial Ground is another possible destination for Camilla, leaving her final resting place less certain than Kate’s, again owing to concerns over respect for Diana's memory.