Does Queen Elizabeth II already have a secret plan in place to allow her son, Prince Charles, to take over the throne in three years?
There have been questions for quite some time about whether the queen will step down from her duties given that she is in her 90s. Now, a report claims that she will do so in three years time meaning Charles will become king even if she is still alive.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles | Chris Jackson/Getty Images
The claim has been made in a new book by royal correspondent Robert Jobson titled Charles at 70: Thoughts, Hopes, and Dreams. In it, Jobson writes that depending on the fate of the monarch and her heir, Queen Elizabeth will step aside by the time she’s 95 and have Charles assume power.
If the queen wants to make such a decision it would be possible under the Regency Act. The act grants power to the heir apparent in the event of illness and “for the performance of certain of the Royal functions in the name and on behalf of the Sovereign in certain other events.”
Through this, the queen could make her son Prince Regent and therefore Charles would be the ruling monarch but would not have the official title of king until she passes away.
Jobson further claims that Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles have had several meetings about this very subject. He wrote that the queen is “practical and unsentimental about her advancing years. They both view these meetings as crucial for both the smooth running of the country and the eventual succession.”
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles | Jonathan Brady/ AFP/ Getty Images
A senior member of the royal household previously told Jobson that “Out of the profound respect the queen holds for the institution of monarchy and its stewardship, Her Majesty would want to make sure that she has done everything she can for her country and her people before she hands over.
“She is dutiful to her core. Her Majesty is mindful of her age and wants to make sure when the time comes, the transition of the crown is seamless. I understand the Queen has given the matter considerable thought and believes that, if she is still alive at 95, she will seriously consider passing the reign to Charles.”
If HRH does enforce the Regency Act she will effectively retire just as her husband, Prince Philip, did when he gave up his royal duties in 2017. The queen has already scaled back some over the past few years and no longer travels overseas. In addition to his own appointments, the Prince of Wales has begun attending many events in the place of his mother and carried out more than 600 engagements last year alone.
Whenever Prince Charles becomes king, he will be the oldest person to ever be crowned in the family’s history. However, he is ready to take over the role because it is something that he has been prepped for his whole life.
Read more: How Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip Are Already Preparing to Say Goodbye to Each Other
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