King Charles III Requests Parliament to Expand Pool of Councillors of State

King Charles III celebrated his birthday this week with various festivities and well-wishes from the royal family.

However, amidst the celebrations, the new monarch also addressed an ongoing dilemma that has persisted since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

In a message read out in the House of Lords, King Charles asked the UK Parliament to consider allowing his siblings, Princess Anne and Prince Edward, to become Councillors of State.

This move would grant them the authority to temporarily step in for the King when necessary.

The King emphasized that the smooth running of the government was the driving force behind this request.

He expressed his desire to ensure the continued efficiency of public affairs during his absence, particularly when undertaking official duties abroad.

In his message, King Charles stated, “I confirm that I would be most content should Parliament see fit for the number of people who may be called upon to act as Councillors of State…to be increased to include my sister and brother, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex and Forfar, both of whom have previously undertaken this role.”

Currently, the Regency Acts 1937 to 1953 limit the number of Royals who can serve as Councillors of State to five individuals.

This group consists of the monarch's spouse and the first four family members in the line of succession who are over the age of 21.

By appointing two Councillors through a letters patent, the state can continue to function smoothly in the monarch's absence.

The current cohort includes Queen Consort Camilla, as well as the Prince of Wales, Duke of Sussex, Duke of York, and Princess Beatrice.

Experts have long argued that the existing pool of Councillors is too small, especially as Queen Elizabeth II grew increasingly frail towards the end of her reign.

It is worth noting that Prince Charles and Prince William were authorized to act as Councillors during the Queen's illness.

However, it raised eyebrows that her other two Councillors were Princes Harry and Andrew, despite their no longer being working members of the royal family.

The issue of expanding the pool of Councillors came to the forefront with King Charles' accession.

As any changes to the Regency Act require legislation, the matter was recently discussed in the House of Lords for the first time.

Labour peer Viscount Stansgate questioned the regency powers of Prince Andrew and Prince Harry, given their current circumstances.

He suggested that it may be time to approach the King and propose a sensible amendment to the Act.

In response, Lord Prevyseal, Lord True, acknowledged that he could not disclose any private conversations with the King or the Royal Household.

However, he assured the House that the government is committed to considering necessary arrangements to ensure resilience in constitutional matters.

The recent actions taken by King Charles confirm that the Palace has been actively contemplating the dilemma and exploring potential solutions.

It is worth noting that expanding the group of official stand-ins is not unprecedented, as it was done for the Queen Mother in 1953 after Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne.

Practically speaking, there appears to be a desire within Parliament to swiftly resolve this issue.

Just a day after King Charles' request, members of the House of Lords responded, assuring the Monarch that they would act promptly and provide any necessary measures to fulfill his purpose.

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