PRINCE CHARLES has been preparing to take the throne all his life, but the UK’s longest-serving heir is now 73. So should Prince William step in and allow his father to retire? Vote in our poll.
The Queen celebrated her Platinum Jubilee earlier this month, but the 96-year-old monarch’s ongoing mobility issues have forced her to pull out of several appearances in recent months. As a result, the future kings, Prince Charles and Prince William have both been expected to step up and take her place at engagements.
This includes the royal garden party at Edinburgh’s Palace of Holyroodhouse on Wednesday, June 29.Around 8,000 people are normally invited to the event in Scotland in recognition of their contributions to communities across Scotland.The Queen has travelled to Scotland but guests will be hosted by Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Sophie, the Earl and Countess of Wessex.
Despite Charles’s long wait for the top role, some argue that his son William who is second in line for the throne should take the role due to his popularity and modern outlook.In a report by The Sun, Princess Diana‘s former voice coach, Stewart Pearce, explained that William could be the next British monarch.He said: “He [Charles] may not take the throne, he may hand it to his young son. He doesn’t want to do it, such a difficult task.”He added that William is “part of the conversation” and has been since his early teens.
If Charles decided to pass the crown to William, legislation would need to be passed in Parliament to change the line of succession.University College London’s Constitution Unit writes on its website: “Having waited over 60 years as heir apparent, it would be natural for Prince Charles to want to assume the throne and perform the royal duties for which he has spent so long preparing.
“But it would be equally natural if, after reigning for a few years as an increasingly elderly monarch, he chose to invite parliament to hand on the throne to Prince William.”In April this year, Ipsos ran a survey for the Independent whereby 42 percent responded in favour of William taking the throne next.
Just 24 percent said Charles should not step aside and 29 percent do not have strong feelings on the matter.At the time royal expert Jennie Bond said there is “no chance” William will become King and not Charles.She said Charles is the “best-trained monarch we’ve ever had” who “wants the top job”.She added: “Suggestions that the crown should skip a generation are well, well out.“I don’t think William should be made to take on that level of responsibility at his relatively young age.”
