As part of the PR operation to increase Camilla’s popularity

If you’ve followed royal news long enough, you’ll be more than familiar with the unofficial tradition of marking Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall’s birthday on July 17 with long, glowing features detailing how she turned her unpopularity around to become extremely loved by the nation.

Peppered with cheerful anecdotes about her friendly interactions with royal photographers and her “sharp wit”, the articles are often so positive they read like advertorials.

For royal correspondents, the depictions are not far from the truth. Camilla’s willingness to engage with the press and win over made her a favorite member of the Royal Family for many to wear. I definitely enjoyed her engagements as well.

But outside the royal media bubble and away from staunch royalists, you’ll find a different story. Talk to honest Brits and you’ll find the sentiment is largely disinterested or disengaged. Recent polls have shown that only 14% of Britons prefer Prince Charles’ wife to become Queen Consort.

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While time has certainly helped move Camilla’s story towards what is now a life of service and royal duty, the story of her illicit affair with Prince Charles, while Diana struggled with mental health demons during a miserable marriage, still remains for many.

And it’s not as much of a generational thing as one might think. A scroll through the royal TikTok shows that among young Millennials and Gen-Z, the sentiments are not very different. Videos comparing Camilla’s life, fashion and legacy to Diana’s have had millions of views, all with overwhelming support for the late Princess of Wales.

Of course, popularity The crown it didn’t help. The portrayal of Parker-Bowles as a chain-smoking adulteress and the continued focus on Diana’s “three of us in this marriage” reintroduced a storyline where many followers weren’t even alive. Another season is coming up this year.

While usually unsympathetic when it comes to the struggles of royals, it was the British press who actually rushed to the Duchess of Cornwall’s defense during the Netflix show’s latest release.

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That stark difference between press and public opinion is the result of a carefully orchestrated, behind-the-scenes PR push. The Royal Family having their own media allies is nothing new, but Camilla has gone to greater lengths than anyone else when it comes to winning over the influence of the British press – even if it has meant keeping some of them extremely close.

Media figures and institutions that have disrupted the lives of many other royals, from Diana and Prince Harry to herself, have become allies of the Duchess, including her close friendship with Piers Morgan and regular efforts to cooperate with the Daily Mail.

As former BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt put it best, “Camilla was clever. She kept the press close and the Daily Mail even closer.” Words that seem even more fitting now that she and Prince Charles have hired a tabloid editor to handle their media relations.

It’s a job that’s been a long time in the making. ‘Operation PB’ in the nineties, which was led by the same man who turned David Beckham from a hated figure into a national hero, Paddy Harverson, was the first campaign to help Camilla to- and shed the press image of Charles as a mistress and soften the nation’s negative feelings towards her.

Their PR efforts were followed by a low-key wedding in 2005 and hard work, with Camilla choosing to build an impressive royal CV. Over the years, she has gone far beyond the ‘listen and learn’ approach to charity taken by other royals and has made a significant and positive impact on causes such as domestic violence, sexual abuse and literacy.

Earlier this year, Camilla had her biggest boost to date when the Queen publicly expressed her wish for the Duchess to be known as Queen Consort when Charles takes the throne – a title which Clarence House officials had previously secured to the public that he will never use it.

As she marks her 75th birthday this week, one last PR stunt before she potentially faces the throne alongside Charles is now in full swing, with a major British Vogue photo shoot, an all-access documentary early on July 13 and even a show of support. from the Duchess of Cambridge, who photographed her stepmother-in-law for Country Life magazine.

New polling data this week shows that Camilla is now eighth on the list of most popular members of the royal family. Whether that’s enough to help her really sway the majority of the British public and beyond remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure, she tried her hardest.