King Charles III’s cancer, as revealed a few hours after the announcement from Buckingham Palace, is said to have been detected at an early stage. However, a tumor – from the time of King George VI’s lung cancer, father of Queen Elizabeth II – is something that generates apprehension within the court walls. The resource of the York princesses.
William returns to the forefront alongside Queen Camilla. Harry, back from the USA, without official engagements but 5th in line to the throne. Counsellors of State are ready.
The Windsor reaction to the shocking announcement about Charles. But a tumor – from the time of King George VI’s lung cancer, father of Queen Elizabeth II – is something that generates apprehension within the court walls. William had canceled all his commitments to be by his side during his recovery.
“A Regency will not be necessary, it’s not the case now, of course, Charles will have to give up public engagements and William will have to stand in for his father,” as historian Hugo Vickers explains to Corriere. It is also the moment for Harry to return home, something he had been thinking about for months now. The time of feuding and family ruptures is far behind.
The prince boarded a plane yesterday at Los Angeles airport headed to London, where he will be with his father today. The affection of the reunited family around the king. All three with the “prince” title.
With which Harry was born, and with which the two children were elevated at the time of their grandfather Charles’ ascension to the throne,” as explained by Vickers. Work has been ongoing for months to mend, if possible, according to the desire of dad Charles who – as Harry also admits in his autobiography – seeing the two brothers at odds one evening begged, “Please boys, don’t make these last years of mine a hell.” Therefore, Prince William will be the one to pin the honors of the kingdom on the deserving, in place of his father Charles at Windsor Castle, ready to also host a gala evening already scheduled, representing the Windsor family.
In the coming weeks, his schedule will not only return to normal but will be more demanding than ever, taking on some of the father’s duties as he undergoes treatment. The other person who will take on official duties is Camilla, who has already proven this week during the king’s prostate operation and recovery how capable she has become at handling official engagements. One of the scheduled engagements is even with an event of the Cancer Society.
Princess Anne has always been a reliable support, as well as the king’s younger brother Edward and his wife Sophie, the new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh. Certainly, a royal family already reduced by streamlining, and by defections due to health, with the Princess of Wales in recovery, will struggle to juggle a thousand commitments. Yet – the royal household informs – there will be no need to rely on the “non-working Royals” for now.
In other words, for now, there will be no official engagements for Harry, who is overseas and chose to withdraw from court engagements, nor for Andrew with the legal issue, nor for the princesses of York. “They, the daughters of Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, are the real asset of the Firm: well-educated, capable of performing their royal duties well, they should be used more,” historian Vickers told us. The Counsellors of State will not be used at this time either: in the first instance Queen Camilla, then the now operational William, then Edward, Anne, the Duke of York, the Duke of Sussex, and Beatrice of York.
Counsellors always act in pairs, safeguarding the institution, on a mandate entrusted by the king in letters patent. But for now, King Charles faces treatment with confidence and continues to personally follow state affairs, the Red Boxes, and sign laws. The institutional role is safe.
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