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The Daily Mail reports that the Queen and Prince Charles have formed a co-monarchy.
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Kinsey Schofield, a royal commentator, told Insider this concept is a PR strategy.
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She said it will allow people to get used to the idea of a “King Charles.”
Reports of Queen Elizabeth II working with Prince Charles to form a co-monarchy are a “calculated” PR strategy, according to royal commentator Kinsey Schofield.
Charles, heir to the throne, has been stepping in for Her Majesty at several public appearances, including the Royal Maundy service in April, and more recently at the State Opening of Parliament on Tuesday. Charles read the Queen’s speech after Her Majesty pulled out of the appearance due to “episodic mobility problems,” according to Buckingham Palace.
Writing in the Ephraim Hardcastle column for the Daily Mail on April 12, titled “Has the Queen made Prince Charles her regent in all but name?” John McEntee reported that Charles’ increased royal duties could signal change within the monarchy.
“We have effectively a co-monarchy for the first time since William and Mary arrived in 1689,” an anonymous source told McEntee.
“Charles’s unofficial elevation also removes any danger of Andrew or Harry having to step in as counsellors of state,” the source added.
According to the royal website, a counsellor of state is someone appointed to undertake duties on behalf of the monarch due to illness or absence overseas, which is usually the sovereign’s spouse or the next four people in the line of succession.
The four people who hold the position currently are Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince Harry, and Prince Andrew, according to the website.
The Daily Mail report was picked up by multiple outlets, including the Daily Express and the Scottish Daily Express.
Kinsey Schofield, a royal commentator and founder of the royal blog To Di For Daily, told Insider that while Charles’ opinion is “important and considered,” he is not the decision-maker within the monarchy.
She said the concept of a co-monarchy is likely a PR tactic to improve public opinion of Charles.
“It is important to the firm or ‘the men in gray’ that the Queen and Prince Charles look as if they are working hand in hand because they need people to get comfortable with the idea of Prince Charles ascending the throne,” Schofield told Insider.
“The idea of King Charles is still a globally polarizing topic and I think that this is a calculated strategy to ease critics into the idea of King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla,” she added.
Queen Elizabeth II announced in February her intention for Charles’ wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, to take the title of Queen consort when he ascends the throne.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams previously told Insider that the announcement was likely made to reduce the backlash from Princess Diana supporters, many of whom he said would be “hostile” toward the idea of Camilla becoming queen.
In November 2020, Charles and Camilla’s social-media team disabled their Twitter replies after the couple were trolled by Princess Diana fans who had watched the fourth season of “The Crown.” The fourth season conveyed the infamous love triangle between Diana, Charles, and Camilla.
Since the Queen’s announcement, public support for Camilla appears to have increased.
In a YouGov poll taken in November, 15% of the British public said Camilla should become queen and 40% said she should become princess consort. Whereas in another YouGov poll asking the same question on February 7, 41% of people said she should become queen, with 10% saying she should be princess consort.
Representatives for Buckingham Palace and Clarence House did not respond to Insider’s request for comment.
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