Camilla: transformed from derided royal mistress to fitting wife

LONDON- From derided mistress and royal marriage wrecker to a fitting wife for the king-to-be, Camilla Parker Bowles' transformation appears breathtakingly complete.

The Archbishop of Canterbury may still be a bit chary about Prince Charles marrying a divorcee and his longtime lover. But after Queen Elizabeth II relented and met Mrs. Parker Bowles socially on Saturday, the tabloids abandoned any remaining doubts.

''Marry Her,'' Britain's two biggest-selling newspapers, The Sun and The Mirror, declared Monday, leading a fiesta of speculation.

Royal aides trotted out the routine line that 51-year-old Charles, whose ex-wife Princess Diana was killed in a Paris car crash in 1997, has no plans to remarry. But few buy that anymore.

Some reports said the queen will invite Mrs. Parker Bowles, 52, to the hottest royal ticket of the year: a June 21 party to mark the 100th birthday of her mother, the Queen Mother Elizabeth, and several other landmark royal birthdays this summer, including Princess Margaret's 70th, Princess Anne's 50th and Prince Andrew's 40th. The Queen Mother's birthday is Aug. 4.

Other newspapers said the ever-tactful Mrs. Parker Bowles would politely turn down the invitation to save anyone embarrassment, but would go with Charles and his sons to join the queen at Balmoral, her Scottish residence, later in the summer.

Whatever happens, commented Judy Wade, author of ''Inside a Royal Marriage,'' one thing is certain: ''Diana is dead and Camilla is here to stay. We all have to get used to the idea.''

Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, spiritual head of the Anglican Church of England, which frowns on divorce, has met Mrs. Parker Bowles several times recently, The Daily Telegraph, a pro-conservative newspaper with good connections to the church reported. Carey refused to confirm or deny the report.

Although Edward VIII abdicated in 1936 to marry twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson, it is unclear whether a marriage to a divorcee would now be acceptable for the British monarch, who is also the head of the Church of England. Some constitutional experts say such a marriage could take place without Charles having to abdicate.

Marriage or not - and it may be simpler to stay single - Charles has triumphed with a carefully managed campaign to gain public acceptability for Mrs. Parker Bowles - at least as the person he loves.

Still, many Britons baulk at the prospect of Queen Camilla.

The Mirror said a straw poll of 1,200 people found 68 percent in favor of Charles and Camilla marrying, but 83 percent don't want her to become queen. For that to happen, Charles would either need to abdicate or have a constitutional arrangement that bars Mrs. Parker Bowles from the title.

The couple appeared together formally at a dinner engagement in January 1999. Since then, there have seen periodic publicized theater or social engagements. She never accompanies Charles to public engagements.

The meeting between Camilla and the queen - widely leaked - took place Saturday at the 60th birthday lunch Charles gave for ex-King Constantine of Greece at his country residence, Highgrove.

It's been a long romance. Charles met Camilla Shand, a member of an upper-class family, in 1972, and they dated for a while. But Charles went into the Royal Navy and she married an army officer, Brig. Andrew Parker Bowles. They have two grown-up children.

''Charles has to gamble his place in history by marrying Camilla,'' declared The Sun. ''There is no other choice. He clearly loves her, and the queen has signaled her approval.''