royalfamily

Since announcing a cancer diagnosis, King Charles has stepped away from public duty.

He is forgoing his public duties but is expected to continue with the formal constitutional affairs of the state, the paperwork, and private meetings like regular weekly sessions with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

The royal had chosen not to reveal the type of cancer as doctors treated his illness, which came after recent treatment of an enlarged prostate when the discovery was made. But he has dispelled the myth that it’s prostate cancer.

Though there is no indication of the severity or the stage of the diagnosis, Buckingham Palace has royal provisions in place if Charles cannot perform his duties.

Who are the Counsellors of State?

Two counsellors considered senior members of the royal family, can be appointed to act on his behalf. They would sign papers, attend Privy Council meetings, and accept new ambassadors.

But there may be no plans to appoint counsellors.

State Counsellors were routinely appointed when Queen Elizabeth was out of the country on an overseas tour. Also, some were appointed last year when King Charles visited Romania on holiday.

They were also appointed for the state opening of the British Parliament in the spring of 2022 when Queen Elizabeth suffered mobility and health concerns which limited her public duties.

What about Prince William?

King Charles’ son, Prince William, next in line to the throne, could be appointed under the Regency Act of 1937, in which his powers would be withdrawn.

For this to occur, there has to be medical evidence “that the Sovereign is by reason of infirmity of mind or body incapable for the time being of performing the royal functions” or “is for some definite cause not available for the performance of those functions.”

Other royals can step in– Queen Camilla, Harry, Andrew, and Princess Beatrice. In 2022, the King expanded this pool of family members to include his siblings, Princess Anne and Prince Edward. If this option was sanctioned over the coming weeks or months, it is unlikely the Dukes of Sussex (Meghan and Harry) or York (Prince Andrew) would be directed to step up since they are no longer working royals.

A panel of four must be satisfied with the evidence by a majority vote– Lord Chancellor, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Lord Chief Justice of England, the Master of the Rolls, and The Queen (who died).

They would need to declare their decision in writing and would also declare if or when the King is now ready to resume his duties.

According to her death certificate, Queen Elizabeth II died of “old age.”

No other contributing factor was listed.

The death record revealed that she died at 3:10 pm, approximately three hours before it was officially announced to the public.

Her death was registered in Aberdeenshire by her daughter Princess Anne who spent the last 24 hours with the Queen.

The  96-year-old had been experiencing sporadic mobility problems during the final stages of her life and used a walking stick to attend to duties in public.

On the day of her death, Buckingham Palace released a statement just after 12.30 p.m. stating that doctors were “concerned for her health” and she was resting “comfortably” at Balmoral Castle.

Her death was officially announced at 6:30 pm.

Elizabeth II was the longest-serving monarchy, spending 70 years on the throne.

When Queen Elizabeth II died on Thursday, her eldest son Charles succeeded the throne and became King. He will be officially known as King Charles III, while his wife Camilla will be known as Queen Consort.

Here are 10 things to know about the newest king:

1. King Charles II is 73 years old and was born at Buckingham Palace. At 3 years old, he was bestowed as heir to the throne and known as Prince of Wales when his mother Queen Elizabeth ascended to the throne.
2. Charles served in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force after graduation from the University of Cambridge with a Bachelor of Arts Degree.
3. He married Princess Diana in 1981 who became known as the Princess of Wales. The couple had two sons: Prince William and Prince Harry. His controversial marriage to Diana became public and played out in the media, and he later revealed that he was never in love with Diana but was forced to marry. During the marriage, he had an affair with Camilla Bowles and the two later married after his relationship with Diana went awry.
4. Charles has five grandchildren who stand in line to the throne.
5. He embraces special projects of interest like farming, climate change, art and environmental conservation.
6. He wrote the book, “The Old Man of Lochnagar” in 1980, which has since been adapted into an animated film, ballet and music.
7. Prince Charles is known to express his personal opinions, veering into politics, unlike his mother who steered clear of expressing her political opinions.
8. He believes in sustainable living. “I can’t bear waste, including food waste. I’d much rather find another use. Which is why I’ve been going on for so long about the need for a circular economy, rather than a linear one where you just make, take and throw away which is a tragedy because inevitably we over-exploit natural resources that are rapidly depleting.”
9. He launched a sustainable fashion line in partnership with YOOX NET-A-PORTER to promote highend textile skills among young craftsmen. He said, “I have always believed in the ‘Buy once, buy well philosophy, so the  more I wear them, the more sustainable I hope I become.”
10. Charles now reigns as head of state of the UK and 14 countries including the Bahamas, Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, St Christopher and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, New Zealand, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu. He is also head of the Commonwealth, which is an association of 56 independent countries.

Photo credit: Nadav Kander

Photo credit: Forbes and Town & Home Magazine

Doctors express concern for Queen Elizabeth and placed her under supervision on Thursday. Fears grow that the 96-year-old may be in dire condition as the Royal Family rush to her side at Balmoral Castle.

Her reign could soon be over.

The Crown has been preparing for her death since the 1960s. It’s called Operation London Bridge.

Here’s what happens when she dies.

The Call

The Queen’s private secretary, Sir Edward Young will call Prime Minister Liz Truss and say “London Bridge is down.”

The Notifications

15 Countries where she is still head of state will be informed of her death including the Bahamas, Jamaica, New Zealand Australia, Canada, Papa New Guinea. Then 38 other countries still under the Commonwealth like Barbados, will receive the news.

Then a footman dressed in black will pin an official notice to the gates of Buckingham palace.

The Alarm

An alarm at BBC, to signal national emergencies will go off. And BBC’s logo, will change from red to black and all anchors will wear black suits and ties.

The Transition of Power

Flags will be lowered to half-mast, and Prince Charles, next in line to the throne, will unofficially become king. He will make his first speech as head of state on the evening of her death.

The day after her death, flags will be raised and at 11 in the morning, UK’s local time. Charles will officially become king and Camilla will become the queen.

He will then tour the U.K., making stops and attending services in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

Preparations will be made at Westminster Hall for her funeral.

The Funeral

A procession will take place four days after her death—from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall. She will lie in state for four days, then be buried nine days after she dies.

Royal tours are landmark events for Buckingham Palace, requiring the participation of many members of the royal family and their aids.

When Prince William and his wife Kate travel to the Bahamas on Thursday, after visiting Belize and Jamaica, they are bringing an entourage of 15 to the sunny isles.

The entourage will include private secretaries, a hairdresser, and the press team.

It is a momentous occasion for Queen Elizabeth II who is celebrating 70 years on the British throne and she has sent the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to act on her behalf as part of the festivities.

In 2016 when William and Kate visited Canada with their children, each of the couple’s private secretaries went along: William’s private secretary Miguel Head and assistant private secretary Laura Baker, Kate’s private secretary Rebecca Deacon.

Others included tour secretary Kate Mager, an operations manager who helped with logistics such as loading luggage, hairdresser Amanda Cook-Tucker, stylist Natasha Archer, and babysitter Maria Borrallo.

Press Secretary Jason Knauf and three other press officers accompanied them on their trip. They ensured proper communications with both foreign and local media while managing the social media accounts.

On their trip to the Caribbean, the couple’s three children will stay behind at Kensington Palace with their babysitter.

Feature Image: Chris Jackson/ Getty Image

• The Bahamas government has already purchased 40 new cars  and rented out five floors of Atlantis for the royal family

Prince William and his wife Kate are on their way to the Bahamas to mark their grandmother Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years on the British throne.

Clint Watson, Press Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister claims it has not yet been determined how much the trip will cost Bahamian taxpayers.

Watson said he sought to find out how much the royal visit will cost, but could not get that information.

“They’re still waiting on a number of figures to come in so they don’t have that figure for us,” he said.

How do you not know? The Royal Family is not haphazard in their approach when traveling for royal duties. Royal trips are planned months or up to one year in advance.  An itinerary is planned based on the personal interest of the royal family and matters the host country would like to publicize.

A team from the royal family travels to the destination to organize the mechanisms of the trip—from travel time, dress code, camera angles, and the best place for the royal procession to arrive.

The Royal Protection Services Officers also visit the host country to plan security details and to coordinate with local police.

A tour document is created, showing the venue plan, the cultural requirements, where everyone will sit, stand, enter and exit along with the list of people the royals will meet.

CSJ Report understands that the Bahamas government has purchased 40 new cars for the royal family and rented out five floors of the Atlantis Resort for the couple and their aids—one floor for residency and four empty floors below it for security purposes.

The Bahamas will pay for accommodations, meals, and the couple’s staff.

Jamaica claims it will only pay for security personnel and nothing else when the couple arrives there before traveling to the Bahamas.

Kensington Palace said Kate 40, and William 39, are “very much looking forward to the visit.”

Their first stop is Belize, where they will visit the Maya archaeological sites and celebrate the culture of the Garifuna community.

In Jamaica, the royals will meet with members of the Jamaican military; and celebrate the heritage of Bob Marley and other Jamaican musicians.

Their last stop is the Bahamas where they will travel to Parliament Square in New Providence, where they will be entertained with Junkanoo, then travel to the islands affected by Hurricane Dorian–Abaco and Grand Bahama.

“As with previous overseas visits, The Duke and Duchess have asked that this tour allows them to meet as many local people as possible,” the palace said, which include children, youths, COVID-19 frontline workers, philanthropic leaders, conservationists and childcare workers.

Photo credit: Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth is still alive despite rumours that she died.

Posters falsely flooded social media, stating that the frail, 95-year-old “passed away” before she could attend the wedding of British Vogue Editor Edward Enniful.

Reputed British media have not confirmed the reports which would be the first news agencies to announce her death.

The Queen, who recently celebrated 70 years on her ascension to the throne and has suffered health challenges, contracted COVID-19 as announced by the Buckingham Palace on Sunday, and was suffering from “mild cold-like symptoms.”

It is not known if her condition worsened or improved.

She has since been relegated to light duties.

Her frailty deepened concerns that her reign is coming to an end.

She is believed to have contracted the virus from her son, 73-year-old Prince Charles who tested positive on Feb. 10. His wife, Camilla, also tested positive.

When Buckingham Place announced that Queen Elizabeth11 contracted COVID-19, it startled many since she represents one of the most high profile figures to contract the virus.

The frail 95-year-old is at a higher risk of serious infection because of her age, placing a renewed attention on her health. This comes after two years of effort to prevent her from contracting the contagious infection.

While she is being monitored closely after experiencing “mild cold like symptoms,” Buckingham Palace says she is working on “light duties” at Windsor Castle.

Buckingham Palace says if the queen needs to suspend her official duties, two or more counselors of state can act on her behalf.

Who are these counselors?

These counselors include her husband Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, Prince William and Prince Harry.

Royal experts say Prince Charles and Prince William are likely to take on some of the queen’s responsibilities.

This does not apply to her deceased husband, Prince Philip who died last year.

Prince Andrew is highly unlikely, since has garnered negative attention to the royal family after he was stripped of public duties following a sexual assault lawsuit, which he settled.

And Prince Harry has since left  Britain for California, with reports of bad blood between he and the royal family.

It also comes in her Platinum Jubilee year marking 70 years on the throne.

She will be 96-years-old in April.

Governor-General C.A Smith expressed his condolences on the passing of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh who died early Friday morning at the age of 99-years-old.

“I have conveyed the condolences of the government and people of The Bahamas to Buckingham Palace. Our thoughts and prayers are with Her Majesty and the Royal Family at this time.”

Why it matters

Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth, has recently undergone a procedure for a pre-existing heart condition and was discharged last month from the King Edward VII Hospital where he was admitted in February.

The big picture

In his older age, Prince Philip suffered a number of health complications.

His recent bout came amid a royal turmoil by a tell-all interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in an Oprah Winfrey dialogue.

The royal couple disclosed the difficulties of royal life while suggesting racism in the traditional royal family.

Driving the news

Prince Philip will not receive a state funeral but will lie at Windsor Castle until the funeral at St George’s Chapel.

The public has been asked not to attend due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A funeral date has not yet been released.