Prince Charles is apparently stepping up to lead The Firm. Triggered by the controversy of his brother, Prince Andrew, the Prince of Wales is reportedly now the "Shadow King" as Queen Elizabeth plans her retirement from royal duties in 18 months.
Sources told The Sun that Prince Andrew's scandal gave Prince Charles the opportunity to prove that he can make decisions like a King. As soon as he arrived from this 12-day royal tour in India and New Zealand, he went straight to the home of his father, Prince Philip, to discuss the next steps.
The report went on to say that Prince Charles pulled the strings to dislodge his brother out of the royal family. Thus, prompting Prince Andrew to officially resign from his royal duties as a result of the sex scandal tied to his friend and close associate Jeffrey Epstein.
The source also said that the transition of Prince Charles as King of England has been underway for some time. However, it was highlighted and expedited by Prince Andrew's disastrous few weeks.
According to Daily Mail, Prince Charles was on the phone with his mother during the whole time Prince Andrew's crisis hit the press. Apparently, he felt compelled to make a decisive action over the scandal without the need to summon his brother.
Thus, Prince Charles has no plans to meet Prince Andrew in person at the moment. Reports earlier stated that the brothers are expected to have an angry showdown over this whole incident.
It's been known for quite some time that Prince Charles is eager to trim down the number of royal family members who are benefiting from tax payer's money if he is made king. With Prince Andrew out of The Firm, the Duke of York's children, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, could be next in line.
Meanwhile, as the reports pointed out, Queen Elizabeth is now 93 years old and close to the age when Prince Philip retired in 2017. Thus, it's been speculated that Her Majesty might follow what her husband did and pass on the crown to her son when she is 95 herself.
If she becomes the Queen Regent, she will no longer be responsible for the daily activities and issues of the royal family. All of these will now lie on the new monarch, her eldest son and heir, Prince Charles.
In the meantime, however Queen Elizabeth will continue with her engagements. She is due to meet the members of the NATO, including President Donald Trump, at Buckingham Palace on Dec. 3. She is also expected to deliver the Queen's Speech before the holidays at the Parliament if Prime Minister Boris Johnson wins the General Elections again.
