‘My love, my Queen' CHARLES GETS HIS HEART'S DESIRE

Our king-in-waiting is overjoyed as Her Majesty paves the way for Camilla to reign

- Judy Kean

She was once considered to be a threat to the British monarchy. Now Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall is seen as the key to securing the future of the institution.

Given the royal seal of approval by the Queen – who has revealed that her “sincere wish” is for her daughter in-law to be recognised as Queen Consort when her son Prince Charles becomes king – Camilla, 74, is now considered to be the glue that will hold the monarchy together once Her Majesty is gone.

The former Mrs Parker Bowles has come a long way since it was first revealed in the ’90s that she’d had a long-standing affair with Charles, 73, including during his marriage to first wife Princess Diana. She was vilified by the public and courtiers feared her unpopularity would put the future of the monarchy at risk when Charles became king.

“At times, her very presence in Prince Charles’ life was said to have imperiled the existence of the throne,” says royal correspondent Richard Kay. “Now she is endorsed as its saviour for her calming influence that will allow her husband to become the king he wants to be.”

The about-turn has been remarkable. “The journey from mistress to Queenin-waiting has been long, bumpy and exhausting,” says Richard. “On the way, she has been vilified to a degree that would have sent many women into the bleakest spiral of depression. But the woman once seen as the problem for the monarchy is now seen as the solution.”