The 95-year-old said she hoped her daughter-in-law will be known as Queen Consort when Charles accedes to the throne, in a remarkable journey to public acceptance for Camilla after being vilified for her role in the break-up of Charles' marriage to Princess Diana.
Addressing the nation in a written statement on the eve of the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne, the Queen said that when Charles becomes monarch she hoped the British people would give him and Camilla "the same support that you have given me".
The announcement seemed to resolve a sensitive issue for Camilla, the second wife of Prince Charles, who is Elizabeth’s eldest son and the heir to the throne.
Camilla, who married Charles in 2005, was long reviled by the British tabloids, who sometimes called her the most hated woman in the country. It had widely been speculated that she would hold the title of Princess Consort, not Queen Consort, once Charles became king.
But Camilla has become more popular with the public over the years. Elizabeth recently appointed her a Royal Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, a strong show of support.
ZZ/PR