London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jul 04, 2025

Queen remains ‘very much in charge’ even as Charles makes speech

Analysis: Despite watching from home on TV, constitutionally the monarch was still calling the shots

A Queen’s speech without a queen; two future kings and a queen consort in waiting; the state opening of parliament was the most public and formal manifestation yet of “Operation Transition”, which has been quietly going on inside Buckingham Palace for several years.

For the first time in two centuries, an heir to the throne read aloud the words compiled by the government at this most ceremonial of spectacles.

The crucial difference between George IV, standing in for his mentally incapacitated father George III , and Prince Charles, seated not on the sovereign’s throne but on the consort’s throne once used by his father Prince Philip, is that the latter is not a formal regent.

Charles, in Admiral of the Fleet uniform rather than the robes of state, the imperial state crown representative of sovereign placed on a table in front of where the Queen’s throne would have been, was there as a counsellor of state.

Flanked by the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke of Cambridge, he was instructed by his mother through Letters Patent, to perform this role and for this day only. The Queen, meanwhile, was understood to be watching on TV from Windsor Castle.

But we do not, according to the constitutional expert Prof Vernon Bogdanor, have a “de facto regency”.

“A regency requires three out of five dignitaries, the Prince of Wales, the lord chancellor, the Speaker of the Commons, the lord chief justice and the master of the rolls, to certify that the Queen is permanently – permanently – incapable of carrying out her duties. That judgment would no doubt be made on doctor’s advice. There is no evidence that this is the case,” said Bogdanor, professor of government at King’s College, London and author of The Monarchy and the Constitution.

“The criterion is objective. The Queen cannot simply say: ‘I cannot carry out my duties.’ A voluntary decision she could in theory take is abdication.” But this, he said, was unlikely given her pledge to the nation in 1947.

Said by Buckingham Palace to experience “episodic mobility issues”, the Queen has cancelled many engagements over several months. With such uncertainty surrounding her physical capabilities, decisions are now being made on a day-to-day basis.

The Letters Patent, issued under section 6(1) of the Regency Act 1937, are a useful instrument in such circumstances, allowing her to entrust counsellors of state to deputise as and when.

“The counsellors of state, unlike the regent, have no decision-making powers; in particular they cannot act on any matter on which the sovereign has the right to question government policy or to make suggestions about it. This is symbolised by the fact they can never act singly,” said Bogdanor.

There are currently four: Charles, William, Harry and Andrew. The latter two are clearly problematic at present. And there are certain core constitutional functions that, unless there is a regency, cannot be delegated; such as giving royal assent to legislation, appointing a prime minister, the weekly meeting with the PM and appointing and dismissing governor generals.

Prince Charles, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and Prince William at the state opening of parliament on Tuesday.


The presence of William, attending his first state opening also as a counsellor of state, and Camilla, will be seen as by Buckingham Palace as demonstrating the crown is in safe hands as the Queen progressively withdraws from public life.

“She is very much in charge. Charles is deputising for her as he has done before,” said royal historian and author Robert Lacey. “We are very far from regency. That implies a surrender of authority, which just isn’t in her nature. She was born and grew up at the knee of the founder of the house of Windsor. She saw this system being created and she understood it instinctively when she called George V ‘Grandpa England’”.

William’s presence was “significant”, Lacey said, in demonstrating continuity.

The Sussexes’ decision to decamp to the US had resulted in Charles and William becoming closer than ever, he said. The Covid pandemic, too, may have made this transition easier. The Queen, who once said she has to be seen to be believed, may be spending most of her time at Windsor Castle, but has mastered the video technology to ensure she is still seen carrying out virtual engagements.

“So two possible disasters, the split between the brothers and the pandemic, actually work to the advantage of the new system in the future, bringing Charles and William together more as a team and giving the Queen a way to be seen that didn’t exist before,” Lacey added.

On the two previous occasions the Queen has missed state openings,in 1959 and 1963 due to pregnancy, the lord chancellor had read the government-drafted speech, as was the case when Queen Victoria did not attend. If that had been the case today, it would have meant Dominic Raab performing the duty.

But the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 altered the role of lord chancellor, downgrading it from a position incorporating the role of Lord Speaker.

“The current lord chancellor is in the Commons. An alternative might have been the Lord Speaker of the Lords, Lord McFall. But the Prince of Wales gives the right degree of symbolism and pageantry to the occasion in my view,” said Bogdanor. “Today was a constitutional innovation. But any solution would have been a constitutional innovation.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
×