Is Queen Elizabeth retiring? Reports from inside the Royal Family hint that the 93-year-old queen — who’s been the monarch for 65 years — is taking a major step back as Prince Charles starts to take over royal duties.
Elizabeth will turn 95 in 18 months. That’s significant because her husband, Prince Philip, retired from public life the year he turned 95, in 2017. While he does sometimes attend events with the queen — including Prince Harry’s 2018 wedding to Meghan Markle — he stopped doing solo events. Now, Philip, 98, spends much of this time at the Queen’s estate in Norfolk. He’s reportedly been in worse health in recent months.
Elizabeth had been slowly stepping back from public life for a few years. In 2016, she attended 332 public engagements. That number fell to 283 in 2018 – still a lot for an elderly woman. Meanwhile Charles, 71, made 507 appearances, which averages out to four engagements every three days.
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It seems that Charles is increasingly taking over the day-to-day aspects of the monarchy, which is often referred to as “The Firm.” A royal source told the British paper
The Sun that Charles has been taking a big role in handling the aftermath of his brother
Prince Andrew’s disastrous BBC interview
about his involvement with Jeffrey Epstein.
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“The scandal surrounding Andrew and Epstein gave Charles an opportunity to step in to show that he can run The Firm. No one is bigger than the institution of the Royal Family. Not even Andrew, the Queen's favorite son,” the inside said.
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“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,” they said.
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If Queen Elizabeth does decide to retire when she turns 95 in April 2021, Charles might officially take the title of Prince Regent while she remained the figurehead of the monarchy.
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Charles was on a royal tour with wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, in New Zealand when Andrew’s BBC interview went live.
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Andrew announced that decision on November 20. He said in a statement, “It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organizations and charities that I am proud to support.”
It seems that Charles is increasingly taking over the day-to-day aspects of the monarchy, which is often referred to as “The Firm.” A royal source told the British paper
The Sun that Charles has been taking a big role in handling the aftermath of his brother
Prince Andrew’s disastrous BBC interview
about his involvement with Jeffrey Epstein.
Photo credit: INSTARImages
“The scandal surrounding Andrew and Epstein gave Charles an opportunity to step in to show that he can run The Firm. No one is bigger than the institution of the Royal Family. Not even Andrew, the Queen's favorite son,” the inside said.
Photo credit: INSTARImages
“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,” they said.
Photo credit: INSTARImages
If Queen Elizabeth does decide to retire when she turns 95 in April 2021, Charles might officially take the title of Prince Regent while she remained the figurehead of the monarchy.
Photo credit: INSTARImages
Charles was on a royal tour with wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, in New Zealand when Andrew’s BBC interview went live.
Photo credit: INSTARImages
Photo credit: INSTARImages
Andrew announced that decision on November 20. He said in a statement, “It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organizations and charities that I am proud to support.”
Photo credit: INSTARImages
