Palace officials mull ways of axing Andrew and Harry as two of the four Counsellors of State
New humiliation for Andrew and Harry? Buckingham Palace officials mull ways of axing them as two of the four Counsellors of State who would deputise for an ailing monarch after they both lost right to use their HRH titles
Andrew and Harry have been stripped of royal patronages and military titlesCounsellors of State are authorised to carry out most of the official dutiesBut Buckingham Palace sources now say those statuses also now under threat
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Prince Andrew and Prince Harry face a new humiliation from Buckingham Palace as officials are mulling ways to remove another of their significant roles.
Palace sources say the Duke of York and Duke of Sussex are set to lose their status as Counsellors of State, on top of the various other titles they’ve had to forgo.
Counsellors of State are made up of the monarch’s spouse and the next four people in the line of succession who are over the age of 21.
They are authorised to carry out most of the official duties, such as attending Privy Council meetings, signing routine documents and receiving the credentials of new ambassadors to the UK.
Both Andrew and his nephew have been stripped of their royal patronages and military titles amid the former’s ongoing legal woes and the latter’s decision to quit ‘The Firm’.
Prince Andrew and Prince Harry face a new humiliation from Buckingham Palace as officials are plotting to remove another of their significant roles
Palace sources say the Duke of York and Duke of Sussex are set to lose their status as Counsellors of State, on top of the various other titles they’ve had to forgo
Counsellors of State are made up of the monarch’s spouse and the next four people in the line of succession who are over the age of 21
Sources confirmed that they, along with Charles and William, are still two of the four Counsellors of State, who would be called upon to take the place of the Queen if she were unable to carry out her duties because of illness or absence abroad, but such status may not remain for much longer.
‘It is a genuine problem that the Palace is looking to address,’ a royal source said.
‘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.’
A Buckingham Palace spokesman declined to comment, but sources suggested that Andrew and Harry could not be stripped of their roles without the law being changed.
An Act of Parliament would be needed to remove Andrew and Harry, perhaps replacing them with Princess Anne and the Duchess of Cornwall.
‘There could be events later this year which make such a change necessary,’ says the source, who declined to elaborate further.
The position of Counsellor of State was provided for in 1937 under the terms of the Regency Act.
Prior to 1937, Regency Acts were drafted and passed only in necessity.
As such, there had been nine separate Regency Acts to cover various eventualities since 1728.
Shortly after George VI came to the throne in 1936, a new Regency Act was passed which provided a rule for all future reigns.
It was at this time that the new office of Counsellor of State was created to cover short term absences where a regency would be unnecessary.
