Queen Camilla's decision to take an overseas vacation while King Charles battles deadly cancer has been interpreted as a "power play" to assert her authority over her stepson, Prince William, according to a well-placed royal source. The move has reportedly escalated the simmering resentment between the 76-year-old queen and the 41-year-old heir to the throne.
The tension between Camilla and William reached a boiling point after the queen insisted that she, rather than William, take over Charles' scheduled appearances when the monarch was sidelined in early February. "William was furious," a high-level courtier told The National Enquirer. "He believed he should be the one standing in for his father."
The courtier revealed that Camilla went behind William's back and told Charles it would be unfair to ask the prince to shoulder more responsibilities while his wife, Princess Kate, was recovering from grueling abdominal surgery. "Of course, the king agreed. But to William, this was just another sneaky ploy by his controlling stepmother," the source added.
Palace sources have long noted Camilla's ambition to become queen, a dream she has harbored since she became the other woman in Charles' ill-fated marriage to William's mother, the late Princess Diana. "Camilla's hell-bent on ensuring that no one takes it away!" the courtier declared.
The Enquirer previously reported that Camilla struck a telling blow following William's mysterious, last-minute withdrawal from a Westminster tribute for Greece's late King Constantine. She seized the opportunity to triumphantly lead the royal entourage, prompting William to rage that she had gone too far and demand that she leave the real royals to do the job.
In response, Camilla allegedly threw a fit, warning William, "Be careful what you wish for!" before suddenly announcing that she was "exhausted" and taking off on an overseas vacation. "It seemed a clear challenge: 'See how you get on without me,'" the courtier observed.
The steely queen had been holding down the royal fort for a month after 75-year-old Charles' deadly diagnosis, believed to be pancreatic cancer, despite a devastating health scare of her own. The courtier confided that weeks earlier, tests had indicated Camilla had breast cancer, prompting the Firm to keep the news under wraps while various treatment options were considered. Thankfully, a cutting-edge biopsy came back negative, providing a glimmer of relief for the embattled royal family.
However, the monarchy remains in turmoil, with Charles sidelined by his illness, Kate recovering from her own surgery and reconsidering her official royal role, and Camilla's absence raising questions about leadership and control. "To the public, the royal family is in turmoil and failing," the courtier noted.
Ingrid Seward, a royal expert, told The Sun, "This will raise the question of who's in charge at such a vital time and with so many key royals out of action." She acknowledged that Camilla deserves rest and relaxation after stepping up to cover the busy schedule of royal engagements while also supporting her husband and Kate through their health issues.
As the royal family navigates this challenging period, Camilla's power play and subsequent absence have only fueled speculation about the stability and future of the monarchy. With the queen set to return to action by March 11, when she will stand in for the King at a Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, all eyes will be on the dynamics between the key players in the royal drama.
