If the King can’t complete duties on a temporary basis ‘Counsellors of State’ act on his behalf (Image: Getty)
If is ever out of action, on a temporary basis, and can’t undertake official duties, two or more ‘Counsellors of State’ can act in his place.Counsellors of State are authorised to carry out most of the official duties of the sovereign, for example, attending privy council meetings, signing routine documents and receiving the credentials of new ambassadors to the United Kingdom.However, there are core constitutional functions that can’t be delegated, including Commonwealth matters, the dissolving of Parliament except on His Majesty’s express instruction, the creation of peers, .The Royal Family reads that by law, Counsellors of State include the sovereign’s spouse and the next four people in the line of succession who are over the age of 21.
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Queen Camilla and Prince William would most likely act as deputies (Image: Getty)
These royals are: , , , The Duke of York and . But in practice, only working members of the Royal Family are called upon to act as Counsellors of State, which would exclude and who, over the recent years, have become controversial in the eyes of many commentators and royal fans. is also not a working member of the Firm. In 2022, the Regency Acts 1937 – 1953 were amended to enable The Princess Royal and The Duke of Edinburgh (then The Earl of Wessex) to serve as Counsellors of State. So the full list is now as follows: Queen Camilla, , , , , Princess Anne, and Prince Edward.When the changes were made it was also stated that only working royals will effectively be appointed as a Counsellor of State. So it is highly unlikely that Harry, living in America with his family , or , who was following the backlash of his association with the late Jeffrey Epstein, will be called upon to act as Counsellors of State.Andrew still retains the title of ‘Prince’ from birth, and he also remains the Duke of York, which is a peerage.
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Prince Andrew and Prince Harry are no longer working members of the Royal Family (Image: TOBY MELVILLE/POOL/AFP)
Concerns were raised last year, when to undergo treatment for his undisclosed cancer diagnosis.Naturally, concerns were raised over . Royal biographer Marlene Koenig previously told Express.co.uk: “Usually two Counsellors are named to serve if needed. The obvious choice here would be Queen Camilla and .”She further commented that neither nor would ever be called to step in for the King, saying: “This would not happen. Harry ceased to be domiciled in the UK when he lost his lease for .
“Harry should be an automatic removal from the Counsellors of State as he is no longer domiciled in the UK (and would be replaced by Eugenie)”.
She also explained that served as a way for the monarch to not have to ask the Duke of Sussex or the Duke of York.Buckingham Palace announced towards the end of 2024 that after almost a year’s battle with the disease.