Prince Harry and Prince Andrew should be ‘stripped’ of stand-in roles, says House of Lords member
Prince Harry and Prince Andrew’s roles as temporary stand-ins for King Charles have been questioned in the House of Lords.
Both royals are two of five 'counsellors of state' who can carry out official duties for the monarch if and when he is ill or abroad, along with the remaining three counsellors – Queen Consort Camilla, Prince William and Princess Beatrice.
Royal duties include signing documents, receiving ambassadors or attending Privy Council meetings.
However, during a sitting in the House of Lords on Tuesday 25 October, Viscount Stansgate (Labour peer Stephen Benn) has challenged the logic behind the pair's current status, given that Harry stepped back from his full-time royal duties in 2020 and now lives in the US, while disgraced Andrew has "left public life” altogether.
Benn suggested it was time to consider a "sensible amendment" to end this arrangement.
Benn’s comments were supported by Liberal Democrat peer Lord Addington, who emphasised that working royals are "somebody who undertakes royal duties,” and should be prioritised for these roles.
In response to questions from peers, the Lord Privy Seal, Lord True, said he would not comment on "specific circumstances”, adding that the Royal Household would have to have a say on this kind of amendment anyway.
Lord True told the House of Lords: “The government will always consider what arrangements are needed to ensure resilience in our constitutional arrangements. And in the past we have seen that the point of accession has proved a useful opportunity to consider the arrangements in place.”
Who is legally allowed to step in for King Charles III?
Usually, the counsellors of state are the spouse of the monarch and the next four in the line of succession, over the age of 21 under the Regency Act. At the moment, the five counsellors of state are the King's wife Queen Consort Camilla, his eldest son Prince William, his youngest son Prince Harry, his brother Prince Andrew and his niece Princess Beatrice.
The law enabled Charles (then Prince of Wales) to stand in for his mother, Elizabeth II at the State Opening of Parliament earlier this year when she was faced with mobility problems.
Some duties and functions however cannot be delegated, such as Commonwealth matters, the creation of peers, or appointing a new prime minister. Viscount Stansgate said the act should be updated in order to reflect the current situation.
The Labour peer urged the Government to approach the King and ask to amend the existing arrangements, but the Cabinet Office would be responsible for changing the law.
Cosmopolitan UK has reached out to representatives of Prince Harry for comment. Prince Andrew declined to comment.
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