Queen Camilla has been transformed into the ‘smiling assassin’ of the royal family
Queen Camilla is emerging as one of the most formidable power brokers in the modern monarchy, royal insiders say RadarOnline.com she has been transformed into the royal family’s “smiling assassin” as pressure mounts to permanently sideline former Prince Andrew from public royal life following the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
Behind her carefully polished public image as the loyal wife of King Charles III, 77, biographers and former palace aides increasingly describe Camilla, 78, as a quietly ruthless operator determined to protect the institution at all costs.
According to royal author Christopher Wilson in A Greater Love – Charles and Camillathe Queen shares similarities with the late Queen Mother in her ability to appear warm and reassuring, while possessing what he described as a hidden “ruthless streak.”
The renewed focus on Camilla’s influence comes amid reports that she and Prince William, 43, are pushing Charles to take tougher action against Andrew, 66, and possibly the wider York family.
A royal court insider claimed Camilla has become increasingly influential in shaping the way the monarchy deals with reputational crises.
They said: ‘Camilla has spent enough years around the monarchy to understand that its very existence depends on the trust and stability of the public. People close to the institution say it views scandals as existential threats if they are allowed to fester unresolved. That’s why she prefers strong action instead of endless internal hand-wringing. In her eyes, preserving the Crown sometimes means making brutally uncomfortable decisions, even if those decisions involve family members.”
The insider added: “There is a growing belief within palace circles that Camilla has become one of the key figures pushing for Andrew to be sidelined from royal life once and for all. In public she radiates warmth, patience and diplomacy, but in private she is said to be exceptionally clear-eyed and unsentimental when it comes to protecting the future of the monarchy.
“People around the King believe that she values the continued existence of the Institute over personal loyalties or emotional attachments, and that attitude has made her a much more influential figure behind the scenes than many outsiders realize. She will appear calm to someone’s face and then work to have them removed from the Institute from behind the scenes – like a smiling assassin!”
Wilson wrote that Camilla’s role reflects the support once provided by the Queen Mother to King George VI during the constitutional crisis caused by Edward VIII’s abdication in 1936.
He argued that Charles, like his mother, Queen Elizabeth II before him, can be overly forgiving. A former courtier told Wilson, “If Charles has a weakness, it is that he is too kind and forgiving when things go wrong.”
Reports now suggest discussions are underway about further reducing Andrew’s remaining royal status, including possible changes to his ceremonial role within the line of succession.
Sources say Camilla is encouraging Charles to take such action, while others say Andrew’s daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, should also face consequences for their continued support of their father.
A palace aide added: “Camilla is now really leading the charge to get Andrew booted out of the royal family completely.”
The rifts between Camilla and the York family are said to have been simmering for years.
Her absence from Eugenie’s 2018 wedding to Jack Brooksbank at St George’s Chapel fueled speculation about tensions, despite aides insisting she had previously committed near Balmoral.
She was also absent from Beatrice’s scaled-down 2020 wedding to Edo Mapelli Mozzi amid the COVID pandemic.
More recently, Camilla’s decision not to publicly congratulate Eugenie on her latest pregnancy announcement has fueled claims that she has deliberately distanced herself from Andrew’s side of the family.
At the same time, Camilla has intensified her public campaign against violence against women and sexual abuse.
Speaking at St James’ Palace for International Women’s Day earlier this year, she declared: “Shame needs to change sides.” She added: “We have your back.”
The comments were widely interpreted by royal commentators as an acknowledgment of the damage done to the monarchy by Andrew’s association with sex-trafficking pedophile Epstein and the ongoing fallout surrounding the scandal of Andrew’s long friendship with the pervert.
