Prince Andrew and Prince Harry no longer perform their royal duties, but they are still considered Counselors of State. In 2015, Queen Elizabeth appointed her son and grandson before she attended the Commonwealth summit in Malta.
Prince Andrew And Prince Harry Are Still Counselors Of State Despite Already Quitting Their Royal Duties
The role of a Counselor of State is crucial to the current monarch, King Charles, as well as the British monarchy in general. After all, the Regency Acts of 1937 and 1953 state that the four most senior adults in the line of succession, plus the consort of the monarch, could carry out most of the King’s official duties, sign routine documents, attend privy council meetings, and more, according to Mirror UK.
However, the four most senior adults in the line of succession plus the monarch’s consort include Queen Consort Camilla, Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew, and Princess Beatrice.
Princess Beatrice is not a senior working royal, and Prince Andrew stepped back from his royal duties after he was accused of sexual assault. Prince Harry, on the other hand, relocated to the United States after quitting his royal duties.
Technically, the only senior working royals who also happen to be Counselors of State are Queen Consort Camilla and Prince William. So, there are ongoing discussions as to whether the amended Regency Acts could include Princess Anne and Prince Edward.
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Lord Viscount Stansgate Suggests That An Amendment To The Regency Acts Of 1937 And 1953 Might Be Necessary
Labor hereditary peer Lord Viscount Stansgate raised the question regarding the key role.
“Are the Government happy to continue with a situation where the counsels of state and regency powers may be exercised by the Duke of York or the Duke of Sussex, one of who has left public life and the other of whom has left the country? Is it not time for the Government to approach the King to see whether a sensible amendment can be made to this Act?” he said (via Daily Mail).
Government Will Eventually Decide On What’s Best
Lord Addington, a liberal Democrat, also said that working royals should be those that undertake royal duties.
Even though nothing has been decided yet, the Leader of the Lords, Lord True, said that the Government will always consider what will be best.
“The Government will always consider what arrangements are needed to ensure resilience in our constitutional arrangements. And in the past, we have seen that the point of accession has proved a useful opportunity to consider the arrangements in place,” he said (via the BBC).
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