King Charles is battling cancer. What happens to Queen Camilla if he dies or abdicates?

The news that King Charles III has some kind of cancer has triggered legions of what-if questions on both sides of the Atlantic.

One scenario is the ailing king decides to abdicate and tend to his health, immediately putting a spotlight on his eldest son and first in line to the throne, Prince William.

That process of course speeds up if Charles were to die, bringing about the reign of King William V, unless he chooses another name. In that instance, a different question arises: What then happens to Queen Consort Camilla?

The answer is nuanced, according to royal experts.

The complicated reality is that while King Charles will have certainly spelled out his wishes for his wife in great detail, the reigning monarch, in this case King William, ultimately controls how much or how little a role Queen Consort Camilla would have in her later years.

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What's more, upon King William's ascension to the throne, his wife, Princess Kate, would become queen. And as mother of Prince George, the future monarch, Kate holds tremendous sway, both in royal standing and public affection.

That's not to say Camilla would be quickly forgotten. Despite the made-for-TV scandals that preceded her marriage to King Charles, Camilla, arguably Charles' first love, was embraced by many Brits when she was crowned alongside her husband last May in an elaborate coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey.

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“Queen Consort Camilla would still keep that title, much like the Queen Mother (the late Queen Elizabeth II’s mother) kept that title until she passed at age 101,” says Joe Little, managing editor of "Majesty" magazine.

Historically, monarch's widows have been called the Queen Dowager, while King George VI's wife, Queen Elizabeth, became the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother to distinguish her from her daughter.

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In the unlikely case of an abdication or, eventually, the current king’s death, “the new King William would call all the shots, it would be down to him − in accordance to his father’s and stepmother’s wishes, of course,” says Little. “But every aspect of her public and private life would be reviewed.”

As for where she would live, it would likely be any one of a number of royal residences. Which one might depend on the wishes of her husband, but ultimately the new king would make the decision.

“It’s at his discretion, definitely, but I’m sure King Charles III would have his own wishes made clear about that,” says Carolyn Harris, historian at the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies and co-editor of the book series “English Consorts: Power, Influence and Dynasty.”

King William would decide Queen Camilla's future role as a royal

British history offers some insights into paths for royal widows, says Harris. “The sixth wife of Henry the VIII withdrew from court life, and moved to the Cotswolds, remarried, and lived quietly,” she says.

“But overall, Queen Consorts, when the new king or queen isn’t their son or daughter (by blood), it’s harder to tell what lives they will lead,” says Harris. “My supposition is Queen Consort Camilla would likely keep up her charitable roles related to literacy and domestic violence. She could be an honorary head of military regiments. But that would all be the result of lots of discussion with the new monarch.”

Royal historians note that when trying to guess what might happen in light of King Charles’ surprising medical news, it’s important to understand the dual impacts of Queen Elizabeth II and King Edward VIII.

The former worked until the very end of her life, at age 96 in 2022. And the latter traumatized a country by handing the scepter to his brother, George VI, so he could marry divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson. When George VI died, his daughter Princess Elizabeth became queen.

Given both these historical facts, “King Charles III is likely to continue working until the end of his life,” says Harris.