The monarchy will manage “quite well” and King Charles will carry out his duties normally during his planned operation for an enlarged prostate next week, a royal author has claimed, while also urging for Prince Harry to be removed from the Counsellors of State.
Royal watchers were shocked on Wednesday after Buckingham Palace announced the monarch will undergo treatment for an enlarged prostate. It said his condition is “benign”.
The announcement read: “In common with thousands of men each year, The King has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate. His Majesty’s condition is benign and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure.”
And while it was unusual for the Palace to give such detail on a health matter, the monarch wished to share his diagnosis with the public to encourage other men to get themselves checked.
Charles is understood to have postponed a number of engagements while he has the procedure but will adopt a “business as usual” approach as, according to reports, he is expected to continue with all his affairs of state while recovering.
By law, every monarch enlists their Counsellors of State to represent them or undertake their duties in the case of illness or absence abroad.
The Counsellors of State include the monarch’s spouse and the next four people in the line of succession who are over the age of 21.
At the moment, these are Queen Camilla, Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew and Princess Beatrice.
In late 2022, Charles proposed that his siblings, Princess Anne and Prince Edward, be named additional Counsellors of State too.
Koenig explained: “Usually two Counsellors are named to serve if needed. The obvious choice here would be Queen Camilla and Prince William.”
But she suggested that neither Prince Harry nor Prince Andrew would ever be called to step in for the King saying: “This would not happen. Harry ceased to be domiciled in the UK when he lost his lease for Frogmore Cottage.
“Harry should be an automatic removal from the Counsellors of State as he is no longer domiciled in the UK (and would be replaced by Eugenie)”.
She explained that King Charles’s proposal in 2022 served as a way for the monarch to not have to ask the Duke of Sussex or the Duke of York.
