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CNN SUNDAY MORNING
Interview With Gerald Strober, Deborah Hart Strober
Aired June 1, 2003 - 07:43 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: The British public seems to be warming up to Camilla Parker-Bowles. Recent polls show more people favor than oppose the future British king marrying his long-time paramour.
And royal watchers will have a field day tomorrow as she attends ceremonies for the 50th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Does the presence of the long-time companion of Prince Charles at these ceremonies mean we may one day see a Queen Camilla?
Let's see what Gerald Strober and Deborah Hart-Strober have to say about all that. They've written a biography of the queen. And we are very pleased that they both join us this morning.
Thank you so much for being with us. Gerald, let me start off with you. How significant is this, being invited to this celebration for Camilla Parker-Bowles?
GERALD STROBER, ELIZABETH BIOGRAPHER: It's quite significant, Anderson. But you can look at it two ways. It might be a conciliation prize for Charles. The lad has not been able to become king, so this is giving him recognition of the woman he loves and chooses to spend the rest of his life with.
On the other hand, it could be significant in the sense that it's preparing the way for Charles and the future wife, Camilla, to play a larger role in official functions, to relieve the queen, who is now 77 and Prince Phillip, who is in his early 80s of some of the onerous activities of taking them around the world. And perhaps we'll find Charles and Camilla taking on some of these responsibilities.
So it could be an important first step.
COOPER: Deborah, I know there had been other parties that she's attended. Is this the first official invitation?
DEBORAH HART STROBER, ELIZABETH BIOGRAPHER: She has been present at the palace and at Charles' side, doing things, but this is the most significant one. It's taking place in the abbey. She is a divorcee, yet she is at Charles side. He is a divorcee. So there are -- it's an amazing step in the well calibrated campaign to bring her public acceptance. And she has to win in the court of public opinion as well as at the queen's court.
COOPER: And well calibrated I think is a good term. You know, reading this stuff is like reading tea leaves often. Every move, every nuance of it is sort of seen significant.
Gerald, is it significant that the invitation came from the queen herself, as opposed to sort of an invitation through Charles?
G. STROBER: Oh yes, very much so. Actually, you know, the queen is quite fond of Camilla and maybe draws a parallel between Camilla and the late Princess Diana. I think it's quite important that she receive this from the queen. And again, it's one more step. You mentioned the tea leaves. It's interesting to read them. It will be interesting to see how the public accepts her sitting in the abbey tomorrow at this perhaps last and final major event in the celebration of the queen's 50 years on the throne.
COOPER: And Deborah, I guess it's important to point out that this wasn't just an invitation, you know, sort of sent through the mail or on the telephone. This is something that was released by the palace, I assume, to the media before the invitation went out?
D. STROBER: And therein lies its tremendous significance because there have been in a sense wars between the St. James and Buckingham Palace in the past, but the queen is now saying yes, this is the woman my son is going to be with for the rest of his life and I therefore recognize her. It's a very, very significant step.
COOPER; Well, we will be watching. Gerald Strober, Deborah Hart-Strober, appreciate you joining us this morning. It's an interesting discussion.
G. STROBER: Thank you, Anderson.
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