Last month, on the eve of her Accession Day, the Queen sparked a national debate about the monarchy’s future. The Queen expressed her desire for Prince Charles’ wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, to be referred to as Queen Consort when Prince Charles becomes King. The statement demonstrated that the Queen, who will turn 96 next month, has one eye on the future as she prepares to hand over the throne to her eldest son and heir.
In British royal history, Prince Charles has had the most time to prepare for the throne of any heir.
Prince Charles is the longest-serving Prince of Wales in history, and he has spent his adult life performing royal duties on behalf of the Queen.
Despite his royal destiny, Charles has kept his reign plans a secret. However, rumours of Charles’ desire for a “slimmed down” version of monarchy have long circulated.
“Prince Charles will make some changes,” royal expert Jonathan Sacerdoti recently told US Weekly.
“It’s long been speculated that he wishes to trim down the working royals at the heart of the family.”
It’s unclear what Charles envisions for a slimmed-down monarchy, but it could mean fewer royals serve the crown officially.
Since the Queen’s accession to the throne in 1952, several of her cousins, children, and grandchildren have served as working royals.
However, with the Royal Family completing a busy schedule of royal engagements each year, Charles will have to make difficult decisions when determining how many royals are required.
“The question is whether you start by deciding how many patronages and engagements there should be, and then work out how many people are needed to achieve them, or whether you decide how many people there should be, and then work out how many engagements and patronages they can take on,” a source told the Telegraph.
The Royal Family’s main working members are currently Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Prince William and his wife Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, and the Queen’s daughter Princess Anne.
The Queen’s son, Prince Edward, and his wife, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, are also official representatives of the Queen.
But which members of the Royal Family could be working royals during King Charles’ reign?
