Harry and Andrew Are Still Counsellors of State
Can they be removed?
Today was a landmark day for the monarchy. At seventy-three—and still the Prince of Wales—Charles presided over the State Opening of Parliament. This is a duty performed by the monarch—one so momentous that Elizabeth II had to issue Letters Patent to appoint Charles as her surrogate. The Duke of Cambridge attended the event as a Counsellor of State, too, because two Counsellors of State are required to stand in for the monarch when called upon.
There was very little notice from the Palace that the Queen would not attend. Just 24 hours or so before the event the Palace sent out the communication explaining that “[t]he Queen continues to experience episodic mobility problems, and in consultation with her doctors has reluctantly decided that she will not attend the State Opening of Parliament tomorrow.” The communication went on to explain that Charles would read her speech on her behalf and that he would be accompanied by Prince William.
It was a solemn moment for the Queen and for Charles. It was solemn for the Queen because this is only the third time she has missed in the entirety of her seventy-year reign, and the first time she has missed in almost sixty years (she missed while pregnant with Andrew and then while pregnant with Edward). I suspect that the reality is she will never attend a State Opening again…and she probably knows it. I am sure that Charles knows it, too. Today was the first time he undertook the role that will sooner than later be his own as monarch. It must have been strange to preside over a function he undoubtedly expected to do the first time as king.
This event highlights the growing importance of the Queen’s Counsellors of State. As has been noted by many over the past several months, the Queen had six Counsellors of State who could be called upon to stand in her place in the event she is incapacitated or unable to execute her duties as monarch, as happened today. The Duke of Edinburgh was one, followed by Charles, William, Harry, and Andrew.
In the last six months there has been a fair amount of commentary calling for the removal of both Harry and Andrew as Counsellors of State. I have been meaning to write about it, and today offers a good opportunity.