GETTY Her Majesty elevated the Duchess of Cornwall to her most senior advisory body, the Privy Council

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The monarch has marked her official 90th birthday by tidying up plans for her death and elevating the Duchess of Cornwall to her most senior advisory body, the Privy Council. It is unprecedented in modern times for a royal wife not in direct line to the throne to be a member of the Privy Council, showing the esteem in which Her Majesty holds Camilla. It also reflects the Royal Household’s efforts to prepare the public for succession.

The Queen has also elevated Prince William to the Privy Council in a move that enhances his status as one of the most senior members of the Royal Family. Both Camilla, 68, and William, 33, went to a special meeting of the council at Buckingham Palace on Thursday evening to be admitted into the body. It acts as the cornerstone of the constitutional monarchy, enacting Acts of Parliament and advising the sovereign on the use of powers which do not formally go through Parliament.

GETTY The Queen has also elevated Prince William to the Privy Council

Sources have told the Daily Express that the main reason the Queen wanted Camilla and William included was so they can be part of the Accession Council which handles the succession to the throne after her death. The Queen wanted Camilla to be beside Charles when he formally succeeds her as monarch in a ceremony normally held at St James’s Palace within 24 hours of the death of a sovereign, according to the sources. A royal aide said: “The Duchess is honoured to be admitted to the Privy Council.”

Prince Charles & Camilla in pictures Mon, December 18, 2017 The Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, and Duchess of Cornwall royal visits and encounters across the globe. Play slideshow PA 1 of 100 The picture used on the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall's 2017 Christmas card which was taken by Hugo Burnand showing the royal couple in the Orchard Room during the private 70th birthday party of The Duchess of Cornwall at Highgrove

In April 2012 in her Diamond Jubilee year, the Queen made Camilla a Grand Dame Cross of the Royal Victorian Order in recognition of her personal service to the monarchy. Ever since Charles and Camilla announced their engagement in 2005, courtiers have privately suggested Charles would like her to become his Queen. Publicly Clarence House has insisted she had no desire for the role and wanted to be known as “Princess Consort”. This was because of the respect in which her predecessor Princess Diana was held and the controversy over her affair with Charles.

GETTY Clarence House will not discuss the subject because it involves the current Queen’s death