AFTER the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, her eldest son Charles has now become King Charles III.

His wife, Camilla, is now known so far as the Queen Consort.

But the Queen’s husband, Prince Philip, was not a Prince Consort. In fact, the Duke of Edinburgh rejected the offer of the title in the early years of Elizabeth II’s reign.

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Why was Prince Philip not Prince Consort?

Unlike a wife, the husband of a reigning Queen does not become a King, and unlike a Queen Consort, he is not crowned or anointed at a coronation.

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Prince Philip had been offered and declined the title Prince Consort, which had been given to Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, according to correspondence by the then prime minister, Sir Winston Churchill in 1954.

Sir Winston engaged in a series of secret letters with his Lord Chancellor about the prospect of Philip becoming Prince Consort.

Other titles suggested included Prince of the Commonwealth and Prince of the Realm, however, both discussions were brought to an abrupt end.

Sir Winston wrote that the Queen had made the suggestion to the duke, but that he “refused even to consider accepting any new title at present”.

He added: “Her Majesty asked that the matter should be allowed to rest indefinitely.”

Philip was made the Duke of Edinburgh by Princess Elizabeth’s father, George VI, just before his 1947 wedding.

The Queen later made him a prince of the UK in 1957.

Prince Philip died in April 2021, after being married to the Queen for 73 years.

Is Camilla a Queen consort?

Camilla is expected to be crowned at Charles’s side at his coronation, just as the last Queen Consort, the Queen Mother, was.

She is expected to wear the Queen Mother’s 1937 coronation crown.

No date has been set for the coronation, but Elizabeth II’s ceremony was 16 months after her accession.

As the wife of the King, Camilla is technically Her Majesty The Queen, but in their briefings and statements thus far Buckingham Palace has kept to Queen Consort.

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What is a consort?

A consort is the role of the spouse of a reigning monarch.

According to Buckingham palace, a consort will “provide companionship and moral and practical support” to the reigning monarch.

For Camilla, the title allows her to share the King's social rank and status but does not allow her to share his political and military powers unless acting as a regent.

When is the Queen’s funeral?

It has officially been announced that the Queen’s funeral will take place at Westminster Abbey on Monday, September 19 at 11am.

The Earl Marshal, the Duke of Norfolk has confirmed the news.

This comes as it has been announced that the Queen’s coffin – which is lying in the Ballroom at Balmoral Castle – will be taken by road to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on Sunday, September 11, on a six-hour journey by hearse.

Prior to the funeral, the Queen will lie in state for “four clear days” in Westminster Hall from Wednesday, September 14, a senior palace official said.