Prince William could ‘step in’ for Queen Elizabeth, while Prince Harry may be brought out of royal retirement if Her Majesty and Prince Charles are forced into social isolation amid the coronavirus outbreak, experts have claimed.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said last week people over the age of 70 will be told to self-isolate for four months in a bid to protect the most vulnerable from the pandemic.
Britain’s monarch, 93, left Buckingham Palace for Windsor Castle today and husband Prince Philip, 98, followed soon after, while Prince Charles, 71, and wife Camilla Parker Bowles have reportedly cancelled their upcoming spring tour, as the situation worsens.
Nigel Cawthorne, author of Call Me Diana: Princess Diana on Herself, has claimed the Duke of Cambridge may be asked to provide a ‘physical presence’ of the monarchy if the Queen and Charles are unable to.
He told MailOnline it is ‘entirely sensible’ for William to act as ‘placeholder’ for Her Majesty, adding that his brother may be called upon by the palace as a second placeholder should the Duchess of Cambridge fall pregnant.
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Mr Cawthorne said: ’I am sure Harry would come back and be delighted to help out, too, and do anything to protect his father and grandmother.’
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It is also possible that ninth-in-line to the throne Princess Beatrice – who recently rearranged her wedding plans due to the virus – may be appointed a Counsellor of State.
While there is unlikely to be any social gatherings for royals in the near future, Mr Cawthrone said there are ‘classified informal meetings on matters of state, and the monarchy is an enormous machine with many employees staying in touch with people, cities and charities across Britain and the world’.
The royal expert said ‘Some of these will be routed through secure communications. But this creates a risk of sorts and some of them will just require face-to-face meetings where Prince William can decide what is so essential that it needs to be managed up to the Queen or to his father. The organisation supporting the monarchy can’t just stop.
He added that government ‘always’ want the head of state or a representative to be available when dealing with foreign or diplomatic dignitaries as the British Royal Family’s history is ‘unparalleled’.
There are normally five Counsellors of State available to step in if the monarch is temporarily unable to perform her constitutional duties – Prince Philip, 98, Prince Charles, Prince William, 37, Prince Harry, 35, and Prince Andrew, 60.
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While Prince Harry and Prince Andrew are no longer working royals, this is not a requirement for the role of Counsellor of State.
Two or more Counsellors of State must be presiding at any one time and if only one is available, parliament may have to amend the Regency Act to enable the next eligible royal to step up which would be Princess Beatrice.
The Counsellors are able to carry out most functions of the Crown, such as attending Privy Council meetings and signing documents on behalf of the Queen.
However, they cannot dissolve Parliament without the monarch’s permission, appoint a prime minister, deal with Commonwealth matters or create peerages.
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March 20, 2020 at 02:15AM
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Coronavirus crisis could 'force Prince Harry out of royal retirement' - Metro.co.uk
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