King Charles III And Princess Kate Middleton's recent medical procedures are raising concerns about the future of the British monarchy.
“It shows that you don't want a 'downsized' monarchy. Only four [people] are not yet 70”, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told exclusively We weekly on Wednesday, January 17 about the direct line of succession.
Hours earlier, Buckingham Palace confirmed that Charles, 75, will undergo a “corrective procedure” after being diagnosed with an enlarged prostate. Charles, who took the throne in September 2022 after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, will subsequently postpone all public appearances during his recovery. (His condition is “benign,” according to a statement.)
Kate, 42, also recently underwent a medical procedure. Kensington Palace announced on Wednesday that she is recovering in a London hospital after a 'planned abdominal operation'.
Kate, who is married to Charles' son Prince William, canceled all public appointments to recover. A source said Us that William, 41, similarly pulled out of his upcoming appearances to support his wife and take on more childcare duties at home. (William and Kate share three children: Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5.)
When Charles came to the throne, he made it clear that he wanted to reduce the number of senior working royals. Currently just him and his wife Queen CamilleWillem and Kate, Princess Anne, Prince Edward And Duchess Sophie perform official public duties. With Charles, William and Kate all out of commission for the time being, this could lead to potential problems.
“[William] is a state advisor, who could theoretically replace the monarch if he is abroad or incapacitated,” Fitzwilliams said. Us. “If necessary, state advisors could take the place of the monarch. There are several, including [Prince] Harry And [Prince] Andrewwhich obviously would not be asked for.”
State advisors are instructed by the reigning monarch to delegate certain tasks in their absence and are appointed from the four adults (those over 21 years of age) who are next in the line of succession. Charles' advisers are wife Camilla, 76, sons William and Harry, brother Andrew and niece Princess Beatrice. However, as Fitzwilliams noted, Andrew, 63, and Harry, 39, are unlikely to take over from Charles as they are no longer senior working royals.
Andrew was stripped of his titles in 2022 following his sex abuse scandal, although he denied the claims and settled for an undisclosed amount. Harry has now chosen to resign together with his wife in 2020 Meghan Markle in favor of a private life. Harry and Meghan, 41, have now moved to California.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi