So do I. That's why I purchase winter clothes for the winter. Where was Charles during this big event?
This article seeks to give the impression that Prince William is going to be given prominence over his father, and even speculates that there is a plan to bypass the Prince of Wales in terms of the succession.
In my view, those impressions are false.
Her Majesty is 83 years old. The Duke of Edinburgh is 86. While both seem healthy for their age, they are still in a situation where they need to slow down, and where their health could deteriorate quite rapidly.
They have to cut down on their official duties - and that means other in the Royal Family have to start taking up more.
The Prince of Wales already takes on a great many duties. He can't dramatically increase his current level - and certainly not to a level which can compensate for both his parents dramatically cutting back. His siblings can increase some of their duties - and are - but with the exception of the Earl of Wessex, there's not a lot of slack there, and he, as the designated heir to his father's title as Duke of Edinburgh, is tending to take on more and more responsibility for his father's duties.
It is the Queen who needs to be 'relieved' and unsurprisingly many of her official duties are those that are deemed to require a senior royal which means most of them can't be passed on to the minor royals (the Kents and the Gloucesters), although again, they are taking up responsibilities where they can (the Duke of Kent, for example, as a Field Marshal in the British Army can meaningfully substitute in some military ceremonies).
In essence, to relieve the Queen, they need to look for a senior Royal who currently doesn't have a large duty load. Prince William is the only person who meets this criteria.
That is why they are looking at him - not to bypass his father, but because his father is already carrying out a high level of commitments.
The reality of ages also needs to be considered. William is seen as the long term future of the monarchy - not because they intend to bypass his father, but because they anticipate his father's reign is likely to be short.
If Her Majesty reaches 100 (her mother was a centenarian), Charles would be around 80 at the time he became King. Even if he in turn reached 100, William would be 66 at the time he succeeded. Realistically, based on typical life expectancies, there is an assumption that William is likely to be King by the time he is fifty - his father will, I believe take the throne (unless so old and infirm he could not) simply to give William as much of a chance of a 'normal' life as possible.
Planning for the reality that William is likely to be the next 'long term' King isn't bypassing Charles. It's accepting the reality that long reigns are normally followed by short ones, and then by a longer one again.
William shows every sign that he will be a good King and do his duty. But the same is also true of his father.
It sounds like they’re preparing to throw Charles under the bus.
Abolish this monarch thing.
Well jolly good. I enjoyed the read. I do not understand the royals, but this planning ahead is a good trait I wish the whole Windsor clan well!!
Don’t bet on it. You will never hear about it; but Charles has a lot of power.
I find HRH the Prince of Wales a fascinating person. As you mention he is in many ways a conservative in the Burkean sense. He is very outspoken on how modern and post-modern architecture has defaced London and England’s other great cities. He does not follow the latest trends. There was a nice article about how he has had the same pair of shoes since he was a young man, albeit a very high quality hand mand pair. I think you are fortunate to know the man. Compared to how his relatively recent male ancestors have acted, for example the two Edwards, he is a decent man. I think how Harry and William turned out is a credit to the man.
Thanks you for the explanation. It’s very much appreciated, as we certainly wouldn’t get as good an understanding of the situation from the media.
Very interesting to learn that you’re a personal friend of the Prince of Wales and I appreicate your take on both the article I’ve just read and of course on the man himself.
I had hoped Prince William would bypass his father, given the rather unpleasant past with his ongoing affair with Camilla whilst he was married to Princess Diana.
No doubt Prince Charles has been groomed for the job all of his life and since he’s the heir to the throne, I guess it’s his for the taking.
I will be sad to see Her Majesty step down and I hope she won’t. May God bless her with many more years.
Off with his head!
You are a friend of Prince Charles? Wow!!
The reason I assumed he was being passed over was for marrying his mistress after a divorce.
However most of us are a little irked with Prince Charles because of his holier than thou attitude on the Global Warming debacle. It’s so easy to preach to the rest of us when you yourself will feel NOTHING uncomfortable about a “sacrifice”. A family just getting by would be crippled by a $5,000 a year increase in various expenses due the Global Warming scam if Cap and Tax is passed. But Prince Charles will just have to let a few servants go.
Sorry, my sympathy for a hypocrite just isn’t there.
Prince Harry on the other hand seems like he is a strapping young man who is brave and proud asset to the respectable British military. And I believe Prince William be an absolutely magnificent king one day.
Great. A man who shows ever sign of being a Muslim convert to become King of Britain.
“I do so hope that you, as people who operate in the very modern world of business and finance, will use your influence to....promote the important principle of wholeness which Islam can still teach us in the West.”-Prince Charles
Prince Charles is but another fraud who jets around the world with his entourage, leaving a huge carbon footprint, while exhorting others to cut back.
Given the U.K’s financial problems, I question how much longer it can afford the useless royals. If you need someone to officiate at the opening of a new supermarket, use Miss England or one of the Page 3 girls. They’re far less expensive and far more presentable.
Is it not possible that Charles is in agreement
So do I. That's why I purchase winter clothes for the winter. Where was Charles during this big event?
Thank you for posting this. What you say makes sense. It is no surprise that the Queen and Prince Philip (who I think has looked frail lately) would be cutting back their duties and that Prince William should step up and take on more responsibilities. I think people who see this as a dig at the Prince of Wales see everything as a dig at the Prince of Wales because they don’t like him. Regardless of what his detractors think, he is the heir to the throne and the Queen is unlikely do to anything to undermine him. I have always thought he was a very interesting man, even when I disagree with some of his enthusiasms. That said, I think he is right on target about architecture and the fantastic gardens he has created would have earned anyone else the admiration of the country. The resentment that people feel for that well intentioned man is unfathomable.
What you say may well be true, but the fact of the matter is that Prince Charles cannot command the level of respect that his mother does, or that his sons have the potential to.
As soon as he becomes King, every dominion except Britain itself will become a republic, and in Britain itself, I suspect republican sentiment will form the majority opinion and only apathy will keep the monarchy in place...
Crown William and make Charles the Sheikh of Araby. Camilla will look stunning in a burqa.
Appreciate your comments on this subject.
Agree as stated, this is not a slam against Charles but the Queen thinking long term.
Also good that William receives much of his instructions
from the Queen as it instills not just the general duties
but the history and purose.
Thanks agains for the article and your comments.
I am not an iconoclast, but I can’t see what purpose is served by the monarchy, since, AFAIK, not a syllable has been uttered by any member of the royal family about the killing of the unborn, the horrors of the National Health, the Muslim invasion, or anything else that is wiping England from the face of the earth.
I’ve thought the Prince of Wales might not become king, but if he does it would be short duration due to age issues as you have suggested.
I would think that the Queen would want William to be married before he becomes king. At this point he’s not engaged and people are wondering when he’s going to put a ring on Kates finger.
The Constitutional Monarchy has much to recommend it, though its not suited to the government and people of the United States. Far better to receive a national honor from the Sovereign or one of her family than to bear the indignity of receiving it from a complete political hack and their criminal hacks.
I think that the Prince of Wales appears to be a bit of an odd duck, but no wonder. I think that were he and I messmates, I might have a different opinion. But, given the current state of the Monarchy and the role of the press and pubic opinion in shaping how its portrayed to the public, I think that it would be best for the Commonwealth if his time on the throne were limited. William seems well suited to play the proper role on stage, provided that he makes the right marriage choice.