Harry may face ‘latest indignity’ if Queen sacks him from final royal role, says expert
Buckingham Palace courtiers are reportedly considering removing Harry and Prince Andrew as Counsellors of State because of Harry’s split from the Royal Family and Andrew’s legal disputes, an expert claims.
Buckingham Palace courtiers are said to be considering removing Harry and Prince Andrew as Counsellors of State.
In the event that The Queen cannot undertake her official duties as Sovereign on a temporary basis due to illness or absence abroad, the role means that the Sovereign’s spouse and the next four people in the line of succession who are over the age of 21 can step in.
Prince Charles, Prince William, Harry and Prince Andrew are the current Counsellors, but it has been reported that the latter two could be stripped of their titles, according to the Daily Mail.
The Duke of Sussex quit his role as a working senior member of the Royal Family along with his wife Meghan Markle last year.
It hasn’t been confirmed whether Meghan and Harry will attend the memorial
Royal Family ‘fear Prince Phillip memorial will turn into Harry and Meghan show’, expert claims
Royal expert Daniela Elser wrote on News.com.au: “Given both Andrew and Harry’s dramatically changed status, Buckingham Palace aides seem to think they should no longer hold the potentially powerful positions of Counsellors of State.
“The question of who can and can’t take over some of her duties should she not be able to is of new and critical importance.
“For Harry, this is just the latest in a long line of indignities he has faced since making the life-altering decision to quit as a working member of the royal family.”
“It is a genuine problem that the Palace is looking to address,” a royal source said
Talking about the possibility of Harry losing the role, a royal source told the Mail: “It is a genuine problem that the Palace is looking to address.
“Can you imagine the Duke of York having to sign official documents, for example, because the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge were both abroad, and the Queen became ill?
“It’s not an exaggeration to say it could put the monarchy in jeopardy.”
Seemingly referring to Prince Andrew’s upcoming court case and the publication of Harry’s much-anticipated autobiography, the source added: “There could be events later this year which make such a change necessary.”
Royal expert Gertrude Daly, host of the Gert’s Royal podcast, believes there is nothing to worry about with the current Counsellors of State, despite Harry and Andrew no longer being working royals due to it only requiring two Counsellors of State to step in for the Queen.
She told the Daily Star: “While Prince Andrew and Prince Harry are no longer working royals, we don’t really need to worry about them being Counsellors of State.
“First, Counsellors of State are only used for constitution duties of the sovereign, of which there are very few things the Queen is constitutionally required to do.
