The queen is celebrating her 70th anniversary on the throne on Sunday and made her "sincere wish" known in a public message released to mark the occasion.
ADVERTISEMENTQueen Elizabeth II has officially become the longest-serving British monarch.
Her Majesty celebrated her 70th anniversary on the throne on Sunday and announced her "sincere wish" for Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, to be known as Queen Consort when her son, Prince Charles becomes King.
The 95-year-old, who kept herself busy during the week reviewing plans for her Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June, alongside her personal secretary, Sir Edward Young, released a public message to mark the occasion.
She wrote that she was "blessed" to have had Prince Philip carry out the role of consort and "unselfishly made the sacrifices that go with it", as her own mother had done during her father's reign.
She also thanked people for the "goodwill" and "support" she received throughout her 70 years as the British monarch.
"And when, in the fullness of time, my son becomes King, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me; and it is my sincere wish that, when the time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service," she wrote.
A spokesman for Charles and Camilla said they were "touched and honoured by the words" of the Queen.
Queen Elizabeth had never made her opinion known on the subject until now despite the topic being fervently debated in the country over the years.
Technically, the married partner of the British monarch is labelled "consort" with the male partner of a female monarch titled "Prince Consort", as Philip had been, while the female partner of a male monarch is the "Queen Consort" as Elizabeth's mother had been.
But Camilla, now 74, has long been blamed for the breakdown of the marriage between Prince Charles, 73, and his first wife, the late Diana Spencer.
Some argued that it was best she be titled "Princess Consort" when Charles ascends to the throne and, as recently as last year, less than half of Britons wanted her to be crowned Queen.
However, some members of the public have welcomed the decision, "I'm delighted. I think it's high time that she (Queen Elizabeth II) made that decision. I'm delighted that she did. And we have to move on with the times, it's way past worrying about the past", says Angela Roberts, a retiree.
"We've got to go with what's right, and if anybody should know what the right thing to do is, she (Queen Elizabeth II) is [sic]" she added.
Camilla and Charles, both divorcees, were married in 2005.