Camilla will be Queen: King Charles confirms 'Consort' has been dropped as new portrait revealed ahead of Coronation

4 April 2023, 22:03 | Updated: 5 April 2023, 04:47

A new photograph of King Charles and Camilla has been released ahead of his coronation.

With the coronation almost a month away, a new double portrait of the King and Camilla has been released showing them smiling in Buckingham Palace's blue drawing room. The image was taken by Hugo Burnand.

It has been released alongside the invitation for the ceremony, in which Camilla uses the Queen title for the first time.

A royal source said: "It made sense to refer to Her Majesty as the Queen Consort in the early months of His Majesty's reign, to distinguish from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

"'Queen Camilla' is the appropriate title to set against 'King Charles' on the invitation. The coronation is an appropriate time to start using 'Queen Camilla' in an official capacity.

"All former Queen Consorts have been known as 'Queen' plus their first name."

The invitation was printed on recycled card and elaborately decorated with foliage in a design by heraldic artist and manuscript illuminator Andrew Jamieson, a Brother of the Art Workers' Guild which the King is an Honorary Member.

It reads: "The Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III & Queen Camilla - By Command of the King the Earl Marshall is directed to invite...to be present at the Abbey Church of Westminster on 6th day of May 2023."

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Meanwhile, future king Prince George will play an important role in the coronation alongside seven schoolboys and girls, with all being named as Pages of Honour who will "attend their majesties during the coronation service".

The Pages will form part of the procession through the Nave of Westminster Abbey. 

The King’s Pages of Honour will also include Lord Oliver Cholmondeley, Master Nicholas Barclay and Master Ralph Tollemache.

The Queen Consort’s Pages of Honour will be her grandsons, Master Gus and Master Louis Lopes and Master Freddy Parker Bowles, and great-nephew, Master Arthur Elliot.