Who are Queen Consort Camilla’s children - Tom Parker Bowles & Laura Lopes - and will they get royal titles?
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Preparations are well underway for the coronation of King Charles III, as he ascends the throne he will be joined by his wife Queen Consort Camilla. The pair have been married for 18 years, and both have children from previous marriages.
As the coronation draws closer all eyes are on the Royal Family, and who will be in attendace for the big day. After much speculation, King Charles youngest son Prince Harry confirmed he would attend the event after the pair had famously not been on the best of terms.
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Hide AdHowever, Prince Harry and Prince William, are not the only children that are expected to attend the Royal event. Camilla’s son and daughter are expected to be there to support their mother as she is sworn in as Queen.
The upcoming coronation means there have been many title changes in recent weeks with Prince William taking on the title of Prince of Wales, a title his father held before him. King Charles III has been open about he want to have a smaller inner circle of senior royals than previous generations.
So, will Camilla’s own children be asked to undertake royal duties and be given a title? Here’s everything you need to know about the two.
Who are Camilla’s children?
Queen Consort, Camilla, has two children of her own with ex-husband Andrew Parker Bowles. A son named Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes. Camilla’s divorce from her husband was finalised in March 1995 after being separated for a number of years.
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Hide AdAs well as step son, Tom, is also King Charles III godson. The 47-year-old is a food writer and critic, as well as being the author of seven cookbooks. Tom has also appeared as a judge on several food programmes. He has two children with his ex-wife Sara Buys.
Camilla’s daughter, Laura, works as an art curator. The 44-year-old is married to Harry Lopes who is a former Calvin Klein model and now a chartered accountant. The couple has three children, a daughter and twin boys. In the 17 years Camilla has been married to Charles, her two children have chosen to stay rather private and remain in the background.
The i newspaper spoke with Professor Judith Rowbotham, visiting research professor at the University of Plymouth who is an expert on royal affairs, who said: “They have deliberately chosen to continue living as private citizens.
“Despite being stepbrother and stepsister to Charles’s two sons, during the 17 years of their mother’s marriage, they have rarely appeared or wanted to appear in the public domain. Laura Lopes in particular, has chosen to keep a very low profile and seems to show no desire to be part of the wider monarchical institution.”
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Hide AdWill Queen Camilla’s children get royal titles?
No, although Camilla is royal by marriage, her children will not receive royal titles. Due to the fact that Camilla is only the third British-born Queen Consort since the 1500s there is no historical precedent for stepchildren of a sovereign to be brought up through the ranks or take on duties.
Professor Judith Rowbotham said that we may see more of the two, however, they will likely remain in the background, saying: “I can’t see this changing even though their mother is now Queen Consort. If they had really wanted to and pushed for it, they might have persuaded the now King Charles to lobby for a title. But that’s the last thing they wanted, either of them. I think almost certainly, we will see a lot more of them now at things such as the Coronation, but not in any official capacity.”
Thomas Mace-Archer Mills, found of the British Monarchists Society spoke to The i newspaper about whether or not Tom and Laura would undertake royal duties now their mother is Queen Consort, and said it was unlikely.
He spoke exclusively: “There is definitely a very quiet distinction between who is in and who is out, even though they are one family because it is not right or the children of the spouse of the King who are not sired by him to be involved in the workings of the monarchy.
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Hide Ad“Their mother Camilla is royal by marriage, but they are not. That seems a harsh way of putting it, but it is the truth. They might be invited to functions now that their mother is going to be Queen [Consort], but they will not be undertaking any sort of official engagement or be asked to do anything which would mean them representing the British Crown. It is only blood royals that can and will be representing the Crown. Even though they are inclusive in the family, they are not related to the Royal Family.”
What does Queen Consort mean?
The title of Queen Consort is not the same role as Queen. The title refers to the wife of a King who is the monarch. The only other Queen Consorts that are British since Tudor times are Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, and Queen Mary of Teck who was a German Princess born in the United Kingdom.
The title of Queen Consort for Camilla depends on her husband King Charles III, being King. When King Charles III eventually leaves the throne and Prince William takes to it, Camilla will lose her title of Queen Consort.
Queen Consort Camilla’s children are not in the line of succession for the throne.
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