Queen Camilla
Encyclopedia
Queen Camilla is a novel by the British
author Sue Townsend
.
It was published in the UK on 26 October 2006 by Penguin Books
and is a follow-up to her novel The Queen and I. Most of the Hell Close neighbours from the earlier novel are also in the new one.
It follows The Queen, The Prince of Wales
and his new wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, who, at the start of the novel, have been living for the last 13 years on the Flowers Estate, now called the Flowers Exclusion Zone or 'The Fez'. The Fez is the private fiefdom of scaffolding magnate Arthur Grice, Prince William's employer. Grice fancies himself a grand-scale public benefactor; he often wonders why most Fez residents dismiss him as little more than the self-aggrandising businessman he is. He lobbies the Queen for a knighthood, which she cannot grant him, all honours having been abolished.
The Exclusion Zones are the worst sign of the authoritarian country Britain has become, with almost lock-down security in the Fez. Jack Barker, Cromwell (formerly Peoples' Republican) Party leader and Prime Minister, is exhausted after 13 years in office, and wants out. The New Conservative ("New Con") Party elects "Boy" English as its new leader; Boy promises to restore the monarchy.
The Queen, now 80, does not want to return to public life; she tells her family she has decided to abdicate. One reason: The Duke of Edinburgh
, her husband, suffered a debilitating stroke 2 years earlier, and is now being (badly) cared for in a residence just outside the Fez. With The Queen's abdication, The Prince of Wales will now become King Charles III - but Camilla will only be his consort, not his Queen. Charles refuses to become King unless Camilla is his Queen. Prince William then offers, too eagerly for the Queen's liking, to reign in his father's place. Charles consults his friend, MP Nicholas Soames, who tells him there is no constitutional reason Camilla cannot become his Queen.
Enter Graham Cracknall, who claims to be the son of Charles and Camilla, born in 1965. His adoptive parents revealed his biological parentage in a codicil to their will, opened only after both had died. Graham visits Charles and Camilla; the whole family takes an instant dislike to him - particularly after he claims that he, not Prince William, is second in line to the throne after Charles. Graham then attracts the online attention of a mysterious lady named Miranda - who, unknown to him, is a New Con operative in the General Election that is finally called. On learning of the New Con ruse, the enraged Graham goes to the Daily Telegraph with his story; he is not believed, causes a disturbance when thrown out, and ends up in Rampton Hospital. The New Cons win the election, restoring the monarchy as promised, but the Queen follows through on her decision to abdicate, and Charles becomes King. The other members of the Royal Family, including Queen Camilla, spend part of each day talking with tourists.
There are several inconsistencies between the two novels, among them:
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
author Sue Townsend
Sue Townsend
-Adrian Mole series:* The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾ , her best selling book, and the best-selling new British fiction book of the 1980s.* The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole * The True Confessions of Adrian Albert Mole...
.
It was published in the UK on 26 October 2006 by Penguin Books
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
and is a follow-up to her novel The Queen and I. Most of the Hell Close neighbours from the earlier novel are also in the new one.
It follows The Queen, The Prince of Wales
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
and his new wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, who, at the start of the novel, have been living for the last 13 years on the Flowers Estate, now called the Flowers Exclusion Zone or 'The Fez'. The Fez is the private fiefdom of scaffolding magnate Arthur Grice, Prince William's employer. Grice fancies himself a grand-scale public benefactor; he often wonders why most Fez residents dismiss him as little more than the self-aggrandising businessman he is. He lobbies the Queen for a knighthood, which she cannot grant him, all honours having been abolished.
The Exclusion Zones are the worst sign of the authoritarian country Britain has become, with almost lock-down security in the Fez. Jack Barker, Cromwell (formerly Peoples' Republican) Party leader and Prime Minister, is exhausted after 13 years in office, and wants out. The New Conservative ("New Con") Party elects "Boy" English as its new leader; Boy promises to restore the monarchy.
The Queen, now 80, does not want to return to public life; she tells her family she has decided to abdicate. One reason: The Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
, her husband, suffered a debilitating stroke 2 years earlier, and is now being (badly) cared for in a residence just outside the Fez. With The Queen's abdication, The Prince of Wales will now become King Charles III - but Camilla will only be his consort, not his Queen. Charles refuses to become King unless Camilla is his Queen. Prince William then offers, too eagerly for the Queen's liking, to reign in his father's place. Charles consults his friend, MP Nicholas Soames, who tells him there is no constitutional reason Camilla cannot become his Queen.
Enter Graham Cracknall, who claims to be the son of Charles and Camilla, born in 1965. His adoptive parents revealed his biological parentage in a codicil to their will, opened only after both had died. Graham visits Charles and Camilla; the whole family takes an instant dislike to him - particularly after he claims that he, not Prince William, is second in line to the throne after Charles. Graham then attracts the online attention of a mysterious lady named Miranda - who, unknown to him, is a New Con operative in the General Election that is finally called. On learning of the New Con ruse, the enraged Graham goes to the Daily Telegraph with his story; he is not believed, causes a disturbance when thrown out, and ends up in Rampton Hospital. The New Cons win the election, restoring the monarchy as promised, but the Queen follows through on her decision to abdicate, and Charles becomes King. The other members of the Royal Family, including Queen Camilla, spend part of each day talking with tourists.
There are several inconsistencies between the two novels, among them:
- The fate of the Imperial State Crown; destroyed in "The Queen and I", yet still in the Queen's possession in "Queen Camilla".
- The death of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. The character was killed off in "The Queen and I", set in 1992, yet in "Queen Camilla" she is said to lived to the age of 101, as she did in real life.
- In "The Queen and I" Jack Barker effectively "sells" Britain to the Japanese; in "Queen Camilla" this is changed to the Americans. As such the marriage of The Prince EdwardPrince Edward, Earl of WessexPrince Edward, Earl of Wessex KG GCVO is the third son and fourth child of Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh...
to the daughter of the Emperor of JapanEmperor of JapanThe Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
is forgotten and the character is married to his real-life wife, The Countess of Wessex. - Tony Threadgold's name is changed to Vince, and he and Beverley apparently now only have one child, Aaron, as opposed to two, Lisa-Marie and Vernon. They also now live next door to Charles and Camilla instead of the Queen.
- In "The Queen and I" Prince Charles goes on the run after escaping from prison. No explanation is given for his return to Hell Close.