King Charles’ younger brother Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh stepped in for him at a major event he was unable to attend due to his ongoing cancer treatment.
Although they are not King Charles’ official Counsellors of State – i.e., the people named on the Counsellors of State Bill who can step in for the monarch if he is unable to do so – this could be the King’s way of quietly confirming that we may be seeing more of them in the coming months.
When Buckingham Palace confirmed that King Charles had been diagnosed with cancer, it also revealed that he would be taking a step back from his public duties while he seeks treatment. While Prince William, the heir to the throne, would usually be the one to fill in for him, he too was unable to step up due to his wife, Kate Middleton, going through her own cancer battle, which she bravely revealed last month.
King Charles Changes Counsellor Of State Rules To Keep Prince Harry, Meghan Markle And Prince Andrew Out
The Counsellor of State position typically belongs to the sovereign's spouse, followed by the first four people in the line of succession over the age of 21. This is technically Queen Camilla, Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew and Princess Beatrice, although King Charles changed things around shortly after his accession to keep Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, as well as his disgraced brother Prince Andrew, out.
The latest Counsellors of State Bill states that only working members of the royal family can be Counsellors of State (which Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and Prince Andrew are *not*) while also confirming that the King's siblings, Princess Anne and Prince Edward, are Counsellors of State for King Charles for life, which they typically wouldn't have been in other circumstances.
Queen Camilla has been seriously stepping up these past few months, with previous reports claiming that she is "exhausted" with doing so much. This is why we aren't surprised to see that more senior royals are being called in to help the monarchy out!
King Charles' Younger Brother Prince Edward And His Wife Replace Him At Entente Cordiale Celebration
King Charles was initially supposed to attend the 120th Anniversary Celebration Parade of The Entente Cordiale on April 8th, but asked younger brother Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh to step in for him instead.
During the 15-minute ceremony, the couple reportedly inspected troops and saw the Changing of the Guard alongside the French Ambassador to the UK, Hélène Duchêne. The Duchess of Edinburgh looked elegant in a baby blue dress, teamed with a chic off-white trench coat on top, with her hair worn in an elegant updo. For his part, Prince Edward looked sharp in a navy pinstripe suit with a light blue shirt underneath, contrasted with a red and blue tie.
We could very well be seeing more of them in the coming months as King Charles and Kate Middleton both seek treatment for cancer.
