Camilla, Duchess Of Cornwall May Be Added To The Counsellors Of State, Expert Says
Even though Prince Charles isn't King just yet, it looks like his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, may step up in a big way now that Prince Andrew and Prince Harry are no longer senior members of the royal family.
“If they did want to add someone to the Counsellors of State, what may be easier than removing Prince Andrew and Prince Harry, is to include the heir apparent’s spouse as a Counsellors of State," Gertrude Daly told the Daily Star. “Since Duchess Camilla is already going to be added, during Prince Charles’ reign, it could make sense to add her now. This would also set a precedence so that Duchess Kate could be added during Prince Charles’ reign, as the then heir apparent’s spouse.”
According to the royal family's website, "By law, Counsellors of State include the Sovereign's spouse and the next four people in the line of succession who are over the age of 21."
If Queen Elizabeth cannot attend an event if she is ill or traveling abroad, then someone else would go in her place.
Additionally, the Queen could call on other members of the brood, too. "There are currently four: Prince Charles, Prince William, the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of York," Gyles Brandreth said. "The Duke of Sussex is away, the Duke of York is lying low. If Prince Charles is out of the country — for example, he will be in Egypt and Jordan in a couple of weeks time — and Prince William isn't available, I suspect they could include Princess Anne or Princess Edward."
Meanwhile, Dr. Craig Prescott, a constitutional expert at Bangor University, agreed, saying, "The Counsellors of State are a Plan B from a constitutional point of view, but what happens when Plan B isn’t quite ideal? The Queen may look to add the Duchess of Cornwall, who would become a Counsellor of State when Charles is King anyway. Or they could go down the line to Princesses Beatrice or Eugenie, or add more members of the family, like Princess Anne or Prince Edward to the list."
