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King Charles’ decision to allow the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex to deputise for him when he cannot fulfil official duties is a snub to Prince Harry that will make him ‘furious’, a royal expert said last night.
The ‘slight’ to the Duke of Sussex and the monarch’s disgraced brother Andrew, called ‘necessary’ by royal biographer Angela Levin, will mean the pair will be even less likely to be called to step-in if the King is absent.
The monarch’s intention was announced on Monday in a signed message read to the House of Lords by the Lord Chamberlain, Lord Parker of Minsmere, the most senior official in the royal household.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline the ‘important and long overdue reform’ was ‘symbolically significant too that it has been announced on King Charles’s birthday’.
‘He has celebrated privately, but this is a very significant matter of public interest,’ he added.
Charles said the aim of the increase was to ‘ensure continued efficiency of public business when I am unavailable’.
Counsellors of State, who can deputise for the monarch if he is overseas on an official trip or ill, include the Duke of Sussex, who lives in California after stepping down as a working royal, and the disgraced Duke of York.
But the addition of the King’s two younger siblings to the list means that ‘it is clear that Prince Harry and Prince Andrew will never serve as Counsellors of State’ if the monarch, the Queen Consort, or the Prince of Wales were unavailable, royal and legal expert Dr Craig Prescott told MailOnline.
The Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex will join members of the royal family who can stand in for the King when he cannot fulfil official duties. Pictured: His Majesty King Charles III stands beside an ancient oak tree in Windsor Great Park to mark his appointment as Ranger of the Park on Friday
The ‘slight to Harry and Andrew’, called ‘necessary’ by royal biographer Angela Levin, will mean that Prince Harry and Prince Andrew will be even less likely to be called to step-in if the King is absent. Pictured: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (left) and Prince Andrew, Duke of York (right) at Windsor Castle on September 19 in Windsor during the committal service for the Queen at St George’s Chapel
Princess Anne and and Prince Edward have been added the Counsellors of State who can stand in for the King when he is unable to perform official duties. Pictured: King Charles (left), Camilla, Queen Consort (second-left), Princess Anne, Princess Royal (second-right) and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex (right) host Team GB Tokyo Olympic medalists at Buckingham Palace on November 2
Mrs Levin added: ‘Of course, it is a slight to Harry and Andrew – but there’s a good reason and it’s necessary.’
She said the move was an astute way to have Harry and Andrew ‘taken off the list in a very diplomatic way’ and that it is more practical for Charles to ask for the assistance of Princess Anne and Prince Edward.
‘Harry and Meghan would be absolutely furious’ with the decision, Mrs Levin said.
‘But he lives in California, he’s stopped being a working royal, so why should he [be a Counsellor of State]?
‘It isn’t about Harry’ but instead what the King needs, Mrs Levin said.
She also said that if the Duke of York were to perform the King’s official duties ‘the public would be absolutely furious’ and commended the monarch’s move as ‘very sensible’.
‘Reading between the lines it allows him the ensure that the right people are doing the right job,’ Mrs Levin said, adding that it would ensure the smooth running of the monarchy.
This change came after rising calls for Anne to receive an exemption from parliament to act on behalf of the King despite rules which prevented her from doing so.
Provisions for the counsellors are made under the Regency Acts 1937 to 1953 and those who can currently stand in for Charles include the Queen Consort, and the four most senior adults in the line of succession – Prince of Wales, Harry, Andrew and Princess Beatrice.
At the despatch box in the upper chamber, Lord Parker said he had the honour to present a message from the King ‘signed by his own hand’.
The independent crossbencher told peers: ‘The message is as follows: “To ensure continued efficiency of public business when I am unavailable such as while I am undertaking official duties overseas, I confirm that I would be most content, should Parliament see fit, for the number of people who may be called upon to act as Counsellors of State under the terms of the Regency Acts 1937 to 1953 to be increased to include my sister and brother – the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex and Forfar – both of whom have previously undertaken this role”.’
There were approving shouts of ‘hear, hear’ from the red benches after the message was read out.
Royal commentator Mr Fitzwilliam said after the death of Prince Philip it was ‘perilous’ to only have Prince Charles and Prince William to perform duties as Counsellors of State if the Queen became unable to carry them out.
‘The most alarming manifestation of this was when the Queen was 95, Charles had Covid and William was in the Gulf,’ he told MailOnline.
‘This means an amendment to the Regency Act. There will be Queen Consort Camilla, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex who can act in place of the monarch, as well as Princess Beatrice if need be.
‘Since two Counsellors are needed to act this makes perfect sense. Trips abroad are reportedly planned for both the King and Queen Consort and the Prince and Princess of Wales, so this absolutely had to happen.
‘Harry should not be surprised at this change. The extra counsellors included are loyal servants of the crown. He lives abroad and there is a deep rift between him and the royal family.
‘He lives, of course, in California and would be bizarre if he were asked to act as a Counsellor of State.
‘Andrew is in disgrace for obvious reasons and it would have been outrageous if he were called on to act. However, no one is being removed.
‘This is good news and about time too as there was an obvious danger here!’
This news as come after Labour Peer Viscount Stansgate, the son of the late Left-wing firebrand Tony Benn, recently questioned the current list of royals able to officiate when the King is not available, given it included the Duke of York and the Duke of Sussex ‘one of whom has left public life and the other of whom has left the country’.
Princess Anne, the Princess Royal (pictured left during the National Service Of Remembrance at The Cenotaph yesterday) will now be allowed to stand in for Charles
Prince Harry (second-right) with his wife Meghan (right), brother Prince William (second-left) and his wife Kate (left) meeting members of the public at Windsor Castle in Berkshire following the death of Queen Elizabeth II
It is thought any changes to legislation to increase the number of counsellors would be completed later this year before the prospect of the King and Queen Consort going on overseas tours in 2023, which may coincide with the Prince and Princess of Wales also being out of the country.
Counsellors of State are authorised to carry out most of the official duties of the sovereign such as attending Privy Council meetings, signing routine documents and receiving credentials of new ambassadors to the UK.
But certain core constitutional functions cannot be delegated, like appointing a prime minister or creating peers.
Dr Craig Prescott, lecturer in Law at Bangor University specialising in parliament and the monarchy, said: ‘I think both [Prince Andrew and Prince Harry] expected it… this should not be a surprise.
‘Harry has no grounds for complaint, he does not want to act as a senior royal.’
Dr Prescott added: ‘It’s an elegant solution as it provides flexibility for the royal family.
‘It is clear that Prince Harry and Prince Andrew will never serve as Counsellors of State.’
After calls to allow Princess Anne to be made a Counsellor of State last month, Dr Prescott told MailOnline in September that there is precedent for adding additional Counsellors of State.
In 1953 after the death of George VI, the Queen Mother lost her status as Counsellor of State because she was no longer the spouse of the monarch once her daughter Queen Elizabeth II acceded the throne.
But the title was reinstated for the rest of her life, and she acted in that role in the decades after her daughter’s accession.
‘It was quite easily approved through parliament, it’s a straightforward piece of legislation. In principle, merely adding Counsellors of State is not a huge problem, but the legislative process can be unpredictable,’ Dr Prescott said.
‘The legislation right now is not ideal. It would make sense to have Prince Edward and Princess Anne acting as Counsellors of the State.’
The line of succession to the throne of the United Kingdom since Charles became King
Dr Prescott suggested King Charles may well be considering adding extra sets of hands, rather than necessarily removing Princes Andrew or Harry from the role.
‘With more Counsellors of State, and even now as it is, one could avoid Andrew and Harry entirely,’ he said, noting neither of the men are working royals and both have stepped back from their duties within the Firm.
Dr Prescott also suggested in September that the King may instead consider overhauling the role entirely.
He said: ‘I think he might consider changing it as he reconsiders what the monarchy looks like – maybe having senior royals who can complete duties in a way that’s not dictated by the line of succession that it once was. He might say that if you’re going to be a senior working royal, then being a Counsellor of State is part of the package.’
If a monarch is out of the country or otherwise unable to perform his duties, two Counsellors of State are required to work together to fill the role, as then-Prince Charles and William did earlier this year when they represented the Queen at the State Opening of Parliament.
‘The timing of Charles’ overseas visits will likely be considered carefully to suit their [William and Beatrice’s] schedules,’ Dr Prescott said.
Dr Prescott also predicted King Charles would rely on his Counsellors of State more than the late Queen has in recent years.
‘Charles will want to travel – to places like Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Jamaica – because they have a right to see their new head of state as much as we do in the UK, so I think there will be more of a reliance on the counsellors of state,’ he said.
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