Meghan Markle: Royal expert discusses Duchess’ call to Queen

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The Queen turned 95 this week and despite her age, she remains Head of State, carrying out key duties such as reading daily Government papers, virtual royal engagements and responding to letters from the public. Her age has led to mounting speculation that she will hand over the reins to her son and heir Prince Charles, but royal expert Robert Jobson has dismissed any notion of the Queen abdicating. But the biographer did point out one way the Prince of Wales could become King without the need for Her Majesty to abdicate.

The royal biographer told Express.co.uk he had previously believed the Queen would consider “handing things over to Prince Charles in the form of a regency”.

But with Prince Philip’s recent death and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s departure from the Royal Family, this may have changed.

Mr Jobson emphasised the Queen “will never abdicate”.

The expert did point out there was one way in which Prince Charles could take over while Her Majesty is still alive.

He said: “The Queen will be the Queen until the day she dies in my opinion. Of course she will.

“I think it is whether or not they recognise him as a regent.

“That would only be necessary if she was both physically and mentally infirm.

“There is enough scope in the Regency Act for that to happen.”

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A regent is someone who rules a country when the current King or Queen is unable to rule, due to ill health or being too young, for example.

The last Prince Regent was George IV, who became sovereign de facto from February 5, 1811, after his father, George III, was declared insane.

He succeeded to the throne in January 1820, following the King’s death.

For Prince Charles to become regent, the Regency Act 1937 states the Queen has to be declared unfit to carry out her duties.

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The reasons provided include: “By reason of infirmity of mind or body incapable for the time being of performing the royal functions or that they are satisfied by evidence that the Sovereign is for some definite cause not available for the performance of those functions.”

At least three people from the following list have to accept the evidence, which includes the wife or husband of the Sovereign, the Lord Chancellor, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Lord Chief Justice of England and the Master of the Rolls.

The Act of Parliament states the Regent is the person next in the line of succession.

But while Mr Jobson mentioned the possibility of Prince Charles becoming a Regent, he does not think it will pan out this way.

He said: “I have a feeling the way they are planning this now is to do it in a different way.

“Which is essentially we see Charles as a Quasi-King.

“And in this way he is supporting the Queen.

“I think that is probably what will happen.”

As a Quasi-King, Her Majesty would remain as Head of State but Charles would ease some of her responsibilities.

Mr Jobson pointed out the Prince of Wales is already reviewing Government papers.

Robert Jobson has written several books on the Royal Family, including the No.1 selling book ‘Diana: Closely Guarded Secret’ in 2002.

His most recent book, ‘Prince Philip’s Century: The Extraordinary Life of the Duke of Edinburgh’ is available to buy now.

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