10 Everyday Rules Camilla Parker Bowles Has to Follow as Queen Consort of the United Kingdom
Camilla Parker Bowles is now the Queen Consort of the United Kingdom, after the accession of King Charles III. Her new title doesn’t give her the same powers as the late Queen Elizabeth II because she’s not the monarch, but it does change her royal responsibilities. As the wife of the sovereign and a senior working royal, here are 10 rules that the UK’s new Queen must follow.
1. Camilla Parker Bowles must curtsey to monarchs
As the Queen Consort, Camilla is no longer required to curtsey to other members of the royal family. However, when she travels abroad she still must curtsey to monarchs around the world as a sign of respect.
2. The Queen Consort must walk behind King Charles
Royal fans may recall that the late Prince Philip — the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Consort — always walked a few steps behind Queen Elizabeth anytime they were seen together in public. This was a sign of respect, and the same rule now applies to Camilla.
As the Queen Consort, she must always walk behind her husband. In the first days of his reign in September 2022, Charles was spotted walking outside of Buckingham Palace with Camilla just a few steps behind.
3. She no longer updates the Clarence House social media accounts
When she was the Duchess of Cornwall and the wife of the heir, Camilla lived in Clarence House with Charles and they would share updates on the official Clarence House Instagram account.
After the Queen died and Charles and Camilla became the King and Queen Consort, they moved to Buckingham Palace and stopped updating the Clarence House social media accounts.
The Clarence House account bio was quickly changed and now reads, “This account is no longer being updated. Please follow @theroyalfamily for updates on His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty The Queen Consort.”
4. No PDA between the King and Queen Consort
The new Prince and Princess of Wales — Prince William and Kate Middleton — have broken royal PDA protocol a few times over the years. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have essentially ignored royal PDA protocol, both before and after Megxit.
Charles and Camilla, though, have never been ones to show public displays of affection. So, this rule won’t affect them much. After Tampongate in the early 1990s — which was recently dramatized in season 5 of The Crown — it makes sense why Charles and Camilla prefer to keep their affection for each other quite private.
5. Camilla Parker Bowles now serves as a counselor of state
As the royal family’s official website explains, in the event that the King is temporarily unable to do his official duties as sovereign due to illness or absence abroad, at least two Counselors of State are appointed by Letters Patent to act in His Majesty’s place.
As Queen Consort, Camilla must serve as a Counselor of State along with the next four royals (over the age of 21) in the line of succession — Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew, and Princess Beatrice.
“Counselors of State are authorized to carry out most of the official duties of the Sovereign, for example, attending Privy Council meetings, signing routine documents and receiving the credentials of new ambassadors to the United Kingdom,” the royal website reads.
6. She must always pack a black outfit when she travels abroad
This is a dark rule for the royal family, but one that was made out of necessity. When King George VI died suddenly in February 1952, then-Princess Elizabeth was on a royal tour of Africa.
The new Queen had to immediately fly home, but didn’t have a black outfit with her. So, when she arrived in London, palace staff met her plane and she changed into her mourning clothes before deboarding.
Now, whenever a senior member of the royal family — like the Queen Consort — is traveling abroad, they must pack a black outfit just in case the monarch dies while they are away.
7. No selfies or autographs for the Queen Consort
Working royals often meet with members of the public while performing their duties, and they definitely cross paths with excited fans who want selfies. However, a handshake and greeting is all royal fans should expect when meeting Camilla, or any other royal. Snapping a selfie with the Queen Consort isn’t allowed.
As royal commentator Victoria Arbiter explained to Insider; “Royals would always rather have a personal interaction than have people clamoring for selfies”.
Excited fans who would settle for an autograph over a selfie will also be disappointed. Royals are not supposed to sign autographs — even though they get asked frequently — because of the risk of copies and forgeries. Under the rules of the crown, Camilla is only supposed to sign official documents previously authorized by the sovereign.
8. She is not allowed to use certain terms
Proper “royal” English is required as the Queen Consort, according to the book Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of English Behavior by Kate Fox. That means there are certain words that Camilla is not allowed to say.
One forbidden word is “toilet” because of its French descent, so the proper term is “lavatory” or “loo.” Fox also notes that Camilla wouldn’t call the evening meal “tea” because the proper word for a royal would be “dinner” or “supper.”
9. The Queen Consort is not allowed to vote
The members of the royal family are not allowed to share their political opinions with the public, and they must remain neutral in the affairs of the British government. By convention, the Queen Consort is forbidden from going to the ballot box for any political election.
Members of the royal family are also banned from running for political office, as Prince Harry noted when he moved to the United States ahead of the 2020 Presidential election.
10. Camilla Parker Bowles must accept all gifts
No matter if she wants to or not, Camilla must graciously accept all gifts given to her by well-wishers when she greets crowds and attends official engagements. This rule applies to all senior working members of the royal family.
