Princes Andrew and Harry, who stepped down from their duties as members of the British royal family, cannot take over the function of state councilors to replace the king in case of incapacity, as resolved by the crown in 2022, The Times recalls on Friday.
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The newspaper dusted off this decision when King Charles III and his daughter-in-law, Princess Catherine, wife of Crown Prince Williamthey face health problems and public opinion wonders who can replace themafter all three postponed their upcoming commitments.
King Charles III will go to a hospital next week for an intervention for a “benign” prostate problem, while Catherine of Wales underwent an “abdominal” operation on Wednesday and will be admitted to a clinic for two weeks.
A councilor of state, according to the laws of the British monarchy, is a member of the royal family to whom the sovereign can delegate some of his functions in case of illness or travel abroad.
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In this way, the five state councilors are Queen Camilla, and the first four members of the royal family, over 21 years of age, in the order of succession to the throne, the king's two sons, William and Henry, as well as the prince Andrés and his eldest daughter, Beatriz.
King Charles III, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew behind Queen Elizabeth's coffin.
EFE/EPA/TOLGA AKMEN
“Buckingham Palace has quietly taken steps to prevent Princes Andrew and Harry from acting as surrogates for the King. The former resigned from his royal duties in November 2019, while the latter abandoned his royal role in 2020 to move to the United States.”says The Times.
“Both remain councilors of state, but the king discreetly took measures to marginalize them, in a decision made shortly after ascending the throne,” the newspaper adds.
Prince Henry, youngest son of King Charles III, and his wife Meghan, decided to leave the royal family in 2020 and settle in the United States. For his part, Prince Andrew also resigned from his royal duties due to his ties to the late American businessman Jeffrey Epstein and accusations of sexual assault.
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Under a law adopted by the British Parliament in November 2022, “only active members” can act as state councilors, although non-active members retain this title.
In this law adopted at the end of 2022, Charles III decided to assign the role of State Councilor to his other two brothers, Princes Anne and Edward. In any case, Buckingham Palace, the newspaper notes, announced that the king will not need to call his state councilors to replace him next week, when he undergoes treatment for his prostate problem.
AFP
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