– The king Charles III announced on Monday night that he has been diagnosed with a form of cancer. He remains king and will continue to do so until he formally becomes unable to exercise his royal duties. The regent is a kind of interim king who has the same powers as the monarch.
A regency can only be declared if the monarch is, according to the legislation, unable to exercise his royal functions due to physical or mental infirmity. This is the constitutional limit if the king becomes unable to fulfill his duties. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
All public appearances can be made by any member of the royal family. For example, there is a very regular procession of ambassadors who, when they arrive, are invited to the palace to present themselves. Prince William or another family member can easily handle this.
Similarly, most of the king’s public and private meetings, even his weekly audience with the prime minister, do not necessarily have to occur with the monarch. William could handle those as well, which would be a good preparation for becoming king. The opening of Parliament can also be delegated, as we saw in the last years of the queen’s life, when she had increasing difficulty in moving around.
But in the end of her life, the speech was delivered by Prince Charles on her behalf. The appointment of ministers and the royal approval of laws passed by Parliament. He is not required to appear.
This is a very conscientious family. The queen has long set an example by putting her public duty first, King Charles has followed in his mother’s footsteps, and I expect Prince William to do the same. I think there is absolutely no risk to the monarchy, and on the contrary, the king’s illness will elicit an outpouring of empathy and support from the public opinion.