The King’s got cancer, Kate is recovering & now the Queen’s on holiday - just who is in charge of the Royal Family?
4 March 2024, 11:06 | Updated: 5 March 2024, 11:10
The Royal Family is in crisis - the King has cancer, Princess Kate is recovering from abdominal surgery and William pulled out of a memorial service due to a ‘personal matter’ this week.
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Just at the time when we need a steady hand on the tiller, Queen Camilla is heading on holiday. Royal sources tell the newspapers that she is ‘exhausted’ from her very ‘busy schedule’.
Camilla has become the face of the famous family in recent months. This additional public spotlight has undoubtedly taken its toll.
It’s not just the King’s absence which is noticeable, the nation is asking where Princess Kate is - the palace tells us that she is recovering from abdominal surgery in January.
Read More: Princess of Wales to review Trooping the Colour as she returns to royal duties after surgery
William has undoubtedly been by her side while she recovers and was even forced to pull out of a memorial service last week.
The Prince did attend an event at a synagogue later in the week and plans to carry out engagements this week, but understandably his wife’s condition will take much of his attention in the coming months.
If William’s attention is diverted, the King and Kate are out of action and Camilla is on holiday - who is left to run the show?
By my calculations, just Princess Anne and Prince Andrew are left. Anne receives a lot of praise for being ‘hard-working’, but can’t carry out all these duties alone.
And nobody wants Andrew anywhere near the top job.
The monarch needs an appointed deputy, in the same way that a business would, if similarly down on staff numbers.
When former Prime Minister Boris Johnson was hospitalised with Covid, his work was undertaken by Deputy PM Dominic Raab - it’s a simple model which should be replicated in Buckingham Palace.
The title of ‘Deputy King’ would sound ridiculous, but there can and should be a formal system to show the nation which royals are tasked with carrying out duties.
The Royal Family now feels more short-staffed than ever before.
If the Queen needs a break to come to terms with her husband's recent diagnosis, then she should be granted it. But the public needs to be told who is in charge.
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