Queen Elizabeth II is meant to be celebrating 70 years on the throne this yr, however 2022 already is off to a rocky begin for the 95-year-old monarch, with ongoing controversies involving three of her heirs and information this week that she examined optimistic for COVID-19.
As of Tuesday, the queen has solely been coping with “delicate, cold-like signs,” which prompted her to cancel scheduled digital engagements, in line with Buckingham Palace. The palace additionally assured the general public that she’s nonetheless in a position to carry out “gentle duties.”
Sadly, such assurances haven’t been sufficient to quiet issues within the U.Okay. media concerning the queen’s well being or about what occurs if she turns into too sick to carry out even “gentle duties.” Amid this uncertainty, there are few definitive solutions for what occurs with the transition of energy.
In line with British regulation, two or extra counselors of state can act on her behalf if she turns into too sick to carry out her official duties, the New York Instances and different retailers reported. Up till Prince Philip’s demise final yr, he was certainly one of her counselors. The 4 remaining counselors are her sons and grandsons, who're in line of succession and who're 21 years or older: Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, Prince William and Prince Harry.
Whereas this counselor-of-state function has been little-known to the general public for many years, it's now on the middle of fierce dialogue, given the queen’s age, her well being struggles in current months and the controversies surrounding Charles, Andrew and Harry, The Telegraph reported.
Final week, London’s Metropolitan Police introduced an investigation right into a charity led by Charles. An in depth aide to the Prince of Wales has been accused of searching for donations from a Saudi businessman in trade for arranging for him to obtain a royal honor and for providing to assist him safe British citizenship.
Victoria Howard, a royal professional, informed the New York Instances that the investigation shouldn’t hamper Charles’ means to carry out royal duties — not until police uncover that he was conscious of the alleged crimes. Charles has denied any such information.
In relation to the transition of energy, palace officers and the U.Okay. media are extra fearful concerning the conditions involving Andrew and Harry due to their lowered standing throughout the royal household, and since they've develop into polarizing figures in Britain.
The queen stripped Andrew of his public duties, army titles and royal patronages earlier this yr after a U.S. federal decide mentioned the Duke of York needed to face trial in a sexual assault lawsuit introduced by Virginia Giuffre, an American lady who alleged that she had been certainly one of Jeffrey Epstein’s teen intercourse trafficking victims. Guiffre accused Andrew, 61, of sexually abusing her thrice in 2001. Andrew settled the lawsuit final week, reportedly agreeing to pay the Giuffre as much as $14 million and to donate different cash to charity to assist intercourse trafficking victims.
In the meantime, Harry additionally was stripped of his royal patronages and army titles after he and his American spouse, Meghan Markle, stepped away from royal life in 2020 to reside in California and develop into financially impartial by means of a wide range of endeavors. Harry additionally has angered royal household loyalists by giving interviews complaining racism and dysfunction within the monarchy, and by signing a multimillion-dollar deal to pen a memoir that might disclose extra embarrassing particulars about his family.
Due to Andrew and Harry’s lowered standing, Buckingham Palace officers have been contemplating find out how to take away them as counselors of state, the Each day Mail reported in January. Andrew is ninth in line to the throne, whereas Harry is sixth, behind William’s minor kids, George, Charlotte and Louis.
Counselors of state are approved to hold out a variety of official duties for an ailing monarch, together with signing essential paperwork, attending Privy Council conferences and receiving the credentials of latest ambassadors to the U.Okay., the Each day Mail mentioned.
Peter Hunt, a royal correspondent for the BBC, wrote on Twitter that the “public received’t abdomen Prince Andrew stepping up.”
The Queen’s Covid analysis might be focusing minds at Buckingham Palace – the present ‘again up’ plans are untenable: https://t.co/WInIlCug1I.
The general public received’t abdomen Prince Andrew stepping up for his mom and Prince Harry lives within the US. pic.twitter.com/ePbeAyDQeL— Peter Hunt (@_PeterHunt) February 20, 2022
A royal supply equally informed the Each day Mail: “Are you able to think about the Duke of York having to signal official paperwork, for instance, as a result of the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge have been each overseas, and the Queen grew to become sick? It’s not an exaggeration to say it may put the monarchy in jeopardy.”
Andrew’s settlement with Giuffre prompted Craig Prescott, an professional in UK constitutional regulation, to inform the Instances UK that it appeared “inevitable” that Andrew could be eliminated as counselor of assertion.
“They may draft in Princess Anne or Prince Edward and particularly make them counsellors of state,” Prescott mentioned.
Questions concerning the counselor of state function additionally arose earlier this month when William was overseas on an official journey to Dubai, and Charles was isolating for his personal case of coronavirus.
As a lot as palace sources say “it's a real downside that the palace is trying to deal with,” additionally they informed the Each day Mail that Andrew and Harry couldn’t be stripped of their counselor roles with out an Act of Parliament.
In the meantime, Harry’s means to function a counselor could also be sophisticated by his authorized combat with the U.Okay. authorities over receiving Metropolitan Police safety when he's in his residence nation. Harry’s authorized group mentioned in courtroom final week that he want to go to his family and friends within the U.Okay. however “doesn't really feel secure” with out safety.
In different methods, Harry has apparently tried to solidify his eligibility for the counselor job by ensuring to keep up an deal with within the U.Okay. The Telegraph reported this week that he had simply renewed his lease on Frogmore Cottage, on the grounds of Windsor Fortress. The queen had given Harry and Meghan the home to make use of after they have been married. That they had the home renovated however solely lived in it a couple of months earlier than leaving for North America.
Royal professional Howard, additionally the founding father of the information web site, The Crown Chronicles, informed the New York Instances that she doesn’t see Harry coming again to the U.Okay. till his safety points are resolved.
Royal sources informed Web page Six this week that Harry would possibly make an exception for the memorial service subsequent month for Prince Philip. He would possibly fly again to the U.Okay. to attend the occasion with different royal members of the family. He’d even be assured that police safety could be offered as a result of it's an official state occasion.