deliriouslove1970. The life & times of Gary and Denise Flanders. (Free and worth every penny. If you would like to compliment the editor, send to garytheflan@deliriouslove1970.com. If you would like to complain, call your mother.)

Today, July 17, is the birthday of the Queen of the United Kingdom/Northern Ireland, Camilla.

Camilla Rosemary Shand was born and raised in East Sussex. She is no stranger to the spotlight and controversies. In 1973 she married British Army officer, Andrew Parker Bowles, becoming Camilla Parker Bowles. They divorced in 1995.

In 1986, Camilla met a young ‘royal’ at a polo match. Charles was in line to become King. It is purported that one of the first things Camilla said to Charles is: ‘You know my great grandmother was a mistress to King Edward.’ To say they ‘hit it off’ is a royal understatement.

Camilla and Charles began having an affair while both were still married. Often discreet but sometimes not so discreet. Camilla divorced in 1995, Dianna died in 1997. The affair was active and now they could be more open about it.

Complicated by Royal Family dynamics the chief of which was the Queen Elizabeth did not approve for quite some time. In 2005 Charles finally married Camilla, Making her ‘Queen Consort’ of The United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.

Upon her marriage to King Charles, Camilla became Queen Consort. But how many types of Queens are there?

To start with Camilla, A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king, and usually shares her spouse’s social rank and status. She holds the feminine equivalent of the king’s monarchical titles and may be crowned and anointed, but historically she does not formally share the king’s political and military powers, unless on occasion acting as regent.

In contrast, a queen regnant is a female monarch who rules suo jure(Latin for, “in her own right”) and usually becomes queen by inheriting the throne upon the death of the previous monarch.

A queen dowager is a widowed queen consort, and a queen mother-is a queen dowager who is the mother of the current monarch.

Camilla was not warmly accepted at first but based on her charity work and service to children and mental health issues, people in the United Kingdom are beginning to appreciate her.