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King Charles preparing to abdicate to Prince William: Inside the palace power shift
As King Charles continues his treatment, Prince William has been stepping up and taking on more royal duties
King Charles’ waning health has the royal family facing a unique crisis; will he or won’t he abdicate in favour of his son, Prince William?
The 76-year old monarch, who ascended the throne at 73 becoming the oldest heir apparent after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth, has been battling cancer for the past year, leading to a recent hospitalization, ramping up concern for the future of the monarchy.
As Charles continues his treatment, his eldest son and heir, Prince William has been stepping up and taking on more royal duties, forcing many royal enthusiasts to consider the possibility of Charles abdicating the throne earlier owing to his health struggles and let William take charge.
However, royal experts believe that there’s no cause for concern, and that King Charles, who reportedly ‘refuses to slow down’, is determined to carry on his late mother’s legacy of a full and hearty reign; the late Queen famously served for seven decades, becoming the longest-serving British monarch in history before passing in 2022.
Talking to Fox, royal expert Hilary Fordwich said, “Both Prince William and Princess Catherine have been readying to assume leadership roles with an accelerated schedule of preparation for their future positions as king and queen. But most certainly, they are not in any way actively seeking an immediate ascension.”
This suggests that while the Palace may be preparing for unforeseen circumstances given King Charles’ current struggles, there is no reason to assume that King Charles is ready to throw the royal family into another big crisis, especially as the family navigates his younger son Prince Harry’s media onslaught against them in his years-long rift with his family.
“The entire family...are more focused on the best interests of the monarchy's stability and continuity, hence all being content with the gradual transition rather than any immediate decisions,” Fordwich further explained.
“The only definite thing is that an abdication would be a significant departure from all tradition,” she added, highlighting the fact that an abdication at this stage would mark a historic moment in modern monarchy.
The last time the British royal family faced an abdication from a ruling King was when King Charles’ great-uncle, former King Edward VIII, left the throne to marry his American lover Wallis Simpson in 1936!
Noting how Edward’s abdication was a ‘constitutional crisis’ at the time, Fordwich stressed how the Queen’s exemplary reign would definitely prevent Charles from giving up his duty.
“Given his mother's values, King Charles is most likely to do all he can to continue serving, dedicating himself to duty,” Fordwich said.
UK expert Jonathan Sacerdoti also echoed Fordwich’s comments, telling Fox, “It seems unlikely that The King will want to step back from his duties any more than is strictly necessary. Though he had to cancel some engagements recently, it caused very minimal disruption to his otherwise busy schedule. He has always been clear that his work ethic compels him to be as busy as possible.”
It is pertinent to note that since King Charles’ cancer diagnosis was confirmed in February 4, 2024, he has continued to fulfil his royal commitments; in fact, he remained one of the hardest working royals in 2024, completing some 180+ royal engagements, including diplomatic visits, overseas trips, state duties, and even family royal engagements like the Commonwealth Day Service, Christmas, Trooping the Colour etc.
Thus, it wouldn’t be wrong to assume that the possibility of King Charles abdicating the throne remains a distant possibility for now.
