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Experts call for a ‘reconsideration’ of rules meaning Prince Harry, Prince Andrew and Princess Beatrice can replace King Charles III
- Prince Harry, Andrew and Princess Beatrice among five ‘state advisers’
- If the monarch is ill or abroad, they can act for him even though there are no royals working there
- Idea of Prince Andrew or Harry stepping into Charles’ shoes raised eyebrows
- Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said ‘radical rethink’ of the system is needed
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Experts have called for a ‘reconsideration’ of the rules, meaning Prince Harry, Prince Andrew and Princess Beatrice are now among the stand-ins for King Charles.
When the monarch is ill or abroad, they are one of five ‘Counsellors of State’ who can act for him – despite none of the three being royal members.
The Queen’s faithful daughter Princess Anne and son Prince Edward are not on the list.
The counselors are the Sovereign’s wife, the Queen Consort, followed by the next four persons over 21 in the line of succession. These are Prince William, the Duke of Sussex, the Duke of York, and Beatrice, 34, who can take on the monarch’s duties despite being ninth in line to the throne.
But none of the latter three is a working royal family, while the idea of disgraced Prince Andrew or US-based Prince Harry stepping into King Charles’ shoes raised eyebrows.
Beatrice rose on the list to join the five state advisers on the Queen’s death.
Controversy: Andrew with daughters Eugenie and Beatrice
It is rare that state advisers are needed. But in May, Charles and William took the place of the Queen at the state opening of Parliament. Pictured: King Charles III and Prince William, Prince of Wales during the procession of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth’s casket as it went from Buckingham Palace to the Houses of Parliament for her stately manner on September 14
The counselors are the Sovereign’s wife, the Queen Consort, followed by the next four persons over 21 in the line of succession. These are Prince William, the Duke of Sussex, the Duke of York, and Beatrice, 34, who can take on the duties of the monarch despite being ninth in line to the throne.
Princess Anne, who is one of the hardest working royals and was exceptionally close to her mother, is 16th in the line of succession to the throne, while Prince Edward is 13th.
It is rare that state advisers are needed. But in May, Charles and William took the place of the Queen at the state opening of Parliament.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said that even before the Queen died, the situation was “extremely unsatisfactory” as it was unlikely that Andrew and Harry would both be called upon to act as counsel, leaving only Charles and William to replace them.
He said: ‘What it needs is a radical rethink. What you need is someone like the Princess Royal or the Earl and Countess of Wessex. I would have thought this was a more practical solution as they are all senior working royals and there is no controversy.”
Thomas Mace-Archer-Mills, founder and director of the British Monarchists Society, said: ‘Princess Anne is consistently one of, if not the hardest working royal. She is proven reliable, trustworthy and dutiful. The rules as they apply now will be reasonable in the future, but Anne deserves it.’