King Charles III is looking to amend the Regency Act 1937 to remove non-working members of The Royal Family from acting as Counsellors of State.
According to the Sunday Telegraph, the King only wants working royals to act as Counsellors of State – the members of The Royal Family who would step in to stand in for the sovereign should he become incapacitated.
Currently, the spouse of a monarch and the four adults next in line to the throne who can be called upon to act officially in King Charles III’s place.
The five Counsellors currently in place are Queen Camilla, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Sussex, the Duke of York and Princess Beatrice.
In the event that The King does become incapacitated, as things stand a constitutional crisis could be in the making as three of the five people who could stand in for him are non-working royals.
If Parliament decides to change the laws, it is possible that the Princess Royal and Earl of Wessex will be called upon to serve as Counsellors of State.
As things stand, Princess Beatrice will continue to serve as a Counsellor of State until 22 July 2034 when Prince George turns 21-years-old and replaces her.
When Queen Elizabeth II was on the throne, the Counsellors of State were Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew and the Duke of Edinburgh while he was still alive.
