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| This file photo shows Britain's Prince
Charles (R) and Camilla Parker Bowles (L) leaving the Ritz Hotel after a
private party to celebrate the succes of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II
jubilee in central London 14 november 2002. Britain's Prince Charles and
his longtime partner Camilla Parker Bowles, the woman blamed for
destroying his "fairytale" marriage to the late Princess Diana, are
to marry, the prince's official residence said 10 February, 2005, with 06
April reported to be the wedding day. (Photo:
Xinhua/AFP) |
LONDON, March 21 (Xinhuanet)
-- Camilla Parker Bowles, who will marry Prince Charles next month, will
automatically become Queen when the Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne
unless there is a change in the law, the British government confirmed Monday.
It is believed to be the first time the government
has acknowledged this stance on the record, local media said.
Charles's office Clarence House previously announced
Camilla would be known as the Duchess of Cornwall after her marriage and intends
to take the title Princess Consort, not Queen, when the Prince accedes the
throne.
But a Department for Constitutional Affairs
spokeswoman confirmed Monday that legislation would be needed for Camilla not to
become Queen automatically on Charles's succession, no matter what Camilla
wished to call herself.
Earlier Monday, Labor lawmaker Andrew McKinlay
accused the Prince of Wales of being "less than frank with the country" over his
marriage to Camilla.
He said legislation would be needed in 17 parliaments
around the world, where the British monarch is head of state, for the change to
be made.
"Prince Charles has been less than frank with the
country - he knows that it was established in 1936 that the King's spouse
automatically becomes Queen unless there is a law passed to the contrary," he
told BBC Radio 4.
"I think he [Prince Charles] is deliberately holding
this wedding under the smokescreen of a General Election," McKinlay added.
The 56-year-old heir to the throne divorced late
Princess Dianain 1996. She died in a car accident in the following year.
The Prince has in recent years given Camilla, 57, a
more prominent public role, frequently taking her to official engagements. They
first met at a polo match in Windsor in 1970.
Their wedding marks a watershed in public and private opinion to their relationship. Last year the Church of England said it would not oppose their marriage. Enditem
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