The Queen might be preparing for some massive changes.
According to a new report from the Daily Mail, Queen Elizabeth may effectively "retire" in the next 18 months, at which point she would presumably pass off day-to-day control of the monarchy to her oldest son, Prince Charles.
Though the new report is all speculation at this point, Charles has taken on an increased role in big picture decision-making in the wake of his brother, Prince Andrew's scandal.
"The scandal surrounding Andrew and Epstein gave Charles an opportunity to step in to show that he can run The Firm," A royal source told The Sun. "No one is bigger than the institution of the Royal Family. Not even Andrew, the Queen's favorite son. Charles recognized that and acted decisively—like the king he may well soon be. This was the moment when Charles stepped up as Prince Regent, the Shadow King."
The new rumors suggest that Charles is preparing to take over leadership in the royal family when the Queen turns 95.
The reports don't suggest that Elizabeth would fully step down as monarch. Instead, it's been suggested that Charles would take on a modern Prince Regent role and assume control of day-to-day affairs while Elizabeth retained the official title of monarch.
The speculation that Elizabeth would make this shift when she turns 95 in a year and a half has been tied to Prince Philip's retirement from public life, which he announced when he was 95.
The reports aren't coming out of nowhere—the Queen has been reducing her public engagements significantly in recent years. In 2016, she attended 332 engagements and by 2018, she had cut that number down to 283. While that's still a lot of engagements, of course, Charles has been increasing his royal workload and took on 507 engagements in 2018.
We'll just have to wait and see how this actually plays out of course, since the decision will ultimately be the Queen's alone.
For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.
RELATED STORIES
-
Bitten Lips Took Center Stage at Dior Fall 2024 ShowModels at the Dior Fall 2024 show paired bitten lips with bare skin, a beauty trend that will take precedence this season.
-
30 Spring Items That Solve My Expensive-Taste-on-a-Humble-Budget DilemmaSee every under-$300 spring item on my wish list.
-
Your Makeup Won't Budge With These Setting SpraysPrepare for 12-hour wear.
-
Princess Diana Revealed to a Royal Author the Real Reason Why Her Marriage to Prince Charles Ended Not Long Before She Died in 1997And no, it apparently wasn’t Camilla Parker-Bowles.
-
Princess Diana Told Queen Elizabeth Through Tears That Her Then-Husband Prince Charles Was “A Nightmare” and That She “Hated” Him, Royal Author ClaimsIngrid Seward’s new book examines the relationship between mother and son, Her late Majesty and her heir, Charles.
-
Could the Next Royal Wedding Be Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, Part 2?The Duke and Duchess of York married in 1986 and divorced 10 years later—but have remained famously close, even living together up to the present day.
-
As If Prince Andrew Wasn’t Humiliated Enough, Actor Rufus Sewell Admits He Had to Wear A Large Prosthetic Bum to Portray Him in Netflix's 'Scoop'You can see it for yourself when the film comes out on Friday.
-
British Royal Lady Gabriella Windsor's Husband Has Died at 45Lady Gabriella is King Charles' second cousin.
-
Kate Middleton Gave an Honest, Eight-Word Assessment About the First Time She Met King CharlesThe King and the Princess of Wales—famously close to one another—are both currently hospitalized at The London Clinic.
-
Palace Makes Under-the-Radar Move to Ensure Prince Andrew and Prince Harry Are Barred from Ever Standing In for King CharlesThe monarchy has never felt as “slimmed-down” as it does right now.
-
Queen Elizabeth II's Childhood Drawing, Which Her Mom Called "Very Poor," Is Up for AuctionSavage.
