Prince Harry and Prince Andrew may soon be barred from acting as Counselors of State. Because they are no longer senior members of British royalty, there are doubts about whether they will still be allowed to hold the title. Britain's House of Lords is now investigating whether the law should be amended, reports BBC News.
Counselors of State are authorized to perform official duties on behalf of King Charles. This is done when he is ill or abroad, for example. This role is usually filled by the spouse of the incumbent monarch and the next four adults in the line of succession.
Queen consort Camilla and Charles' son Prince William will perform many of these duties. Charles' son Prince Harry, his brother Prince Andrew and his niece Princess Beatrice would also be allowed to do so by law.
But there is considerable doubt whether they will be allowed to remain Counsellors of the State. Prince Harry previously relinquished his royal duties after dissatisfaction with the conduct of the British monarchy. Andrew was stripped of these duties after being charged with sexual abuse.
His daughter Princess Beatrice works in finance and may not always have time to perform royal duties. Therefore, it is being examined whether these three individuals should be removed from the list of Counselors of the State. Other members of the royal family may then be added to the list.
Among other things, the Counselors of State attend meetings of the Privy Council. That is the British monarch's advisory body. They are also allowed to sign documents and receive credentials from new ambassadors.
Some duties only the king can perform, such as appointing a new prime minister or dissolving parliament. Earlier this year, Charles acted as Counselor of State on behalf of his mother, Queen Elizabeth. He then opened the British Parliament because the monarch had to cancel due to health problems. After her death in September, Charles became king.