Senior palace officials and ministers are reportedly finalizing legislation that will be presented to Parliament to expand the group of Councillors of State who can carry out constitutional duties on behalf of the King in his absence or illness.

Constitutional expert Dr. Craig Prescott suggests that Princess Anne and Prince Edward, despite not being current Councillors of State due to their place in the line of succession, are natural candidates for the role.

The current order of succession for the position of Councillor of State includes Princess Beatrice, followed by her sister Princess Eugenie, and then Prince Edward and Princess Anne.

However, there have been calls from experts to revise the law to allow individuals like Beatrice, who has never performed public duties, or Prince Andrew and Prince Harry, who have stepped back from their senior positions within the Firm, to fulfill constitutional responsibilities.

According to the Regency Act of 1937, two Councillors of State are required, and other members of the Royal Family can be nominated.

However, Prince William cannot act alone, necessitating the consideration of additional Councillors.

The Daily Mail suggests that instead of replacing non-working members of the Firm in this role, the number of current Councillors should be increased to include full-time working Royals.

Any changes to the Regency Acts of 1937 and 1953, which govern the role of Councillors, would require approval by Parliament.

The current individuals above the age of 21 who are included by law as Councillors of State are the Monarch’s spouse, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Prince Andrew, Prince Harry, and Princess Beatrice.

With King Charles’ ascension to the throne and his plans to travel abroad, the urgency to address this issue becomes more apparent.

In the past, the Regency Act of 1953 made Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, a Councillor of State for the remainder of her life, although she lost this position upon George VI’s death.

Similarly, Prince Edward and Princess Anne could be treated in a similar manner, providing more flexibility for Prince William to travel abroad alongside the King if needed.

While the ultimate decision lies with Parliament, it is unlikely that they would stand in the way if the King and the Palace support the proposal.

Speculation about changing the rules regarding representation during the King’s unavailability arose ahead of Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, scheduled for mid-September.

The issue of Counsellors of State was also raised in the House of Lords, with Viscount Stangate questioning the Government’s intentions to amend the Regency Act of 1937.

Lord True, responding on behalf of the Government, stated that private conversations with the King or the Royal Household would not be disclosed.

However, he emphasized that the Government is committed to maintaining resilience in constitutional structures and will consider necessary measures.

As we await further developments, it remains to be seen how this situation will unfold.

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