Kate vs. Camilla BATTLE OVER THE CROWN

After Queen Elizabeth Il shows favor to Prince Charles -and his wife Camilla Parker Bowles - chaos erupts at the palace

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Private Drama

"I feel very, very honored and very touched," Camilla said on Feb. 10 when asked how she felt about Queen Elizabeth II's statement of support. Kate, says a royals source, "thought she would be the next queen consort, not Camilla."

Keep calm and carry on, the saying goes. And that's exactly what Queen Elizabeth did nine days after Buckingham Palace announced she'd tested positive for COVID-19. Following a period of rest and recovery as she fought off coldlike symptoms and a croaky voice, Her Majesty got back to work on March 1, resuming virtual engagements and a handful of other duties, including holding audiences with global ambassadors.

Though she shows no intention of stopping at age 95, the war over who should replace the monarch one day is heating up more than ever – despite her publicly giving heir Prince Charles the go-ahead with Camilla Parker Bowles as his “queen consort” on Feb. 5. As Life & Style previously reported, Prince William and Kate Middleton had been in serious talks with his grandmother about ascending to the throne next (instead of her scandal-plagued son and his mistress-turned-wife) in a bid to revamp the royals' image.

“So William and Kate were completely blindsided by the queen's announcement in favor of Charles and Camilla,” reveals a source. “The palace has been in chaos ever since.” Even more so, says the source, because Kate is refusing to give up her battle to be queen first. While Charles and William certainly have the most to gain or lose, their wives have reportedly taken an active role in the behind-the-scenes power struggle. “Kate won't sit back and let this go," shares the source. “She's ready to fight to steal the crown out of Camilla's hands."

PLAYING DIRTY