Princess Beatrice to snub Charles as royal rules herself out of role

Princess Beatrice, alongside Queen Camilla, were both made into Counsellors of State following the ascension of King Charles III to the throne. However, less than two months on, the Daily Express Royal Correspondent Richard Palmer said that Beatrice has already ruled herself out of undertaking the role. Counsellors of State are able to take over as head of state should the King ever become indisposed.They are also members of His Majesty’s Privy Council, enabling them to attend Privy Council meetings and sign routine documents should they be required.Following Charles’s ascension to the throne, there are now five Counsellors of State – Queen Camilla, Beatrice, as well as Prince William, Harry and Andrew.The royal expert remarked that three out of the five current Counsellors of State are already unable to do the job.Speaking to the Daily Express’s Royal Round Up, Mr Palmer said that it is “a bit weird” that Beatrice was handed the role, given that she is not a regular working royal.JUST IN: Prince Harry’s book could be ‘bitter and angry’, expert warns Princess Beatrice, alongside Queen Camilla, were both made into Counsellors of State (Image: GETTY) The King will have to add new working members of the Royal Family to the Counsellors of State list (Image: GETTY)He said: “We now have a new top five in line for the throne.”We have a wife of the monarch, Queen Camilla, who is eligible to be Counsellor of State.”And you also have William, Harry, Andrew and Beatrice – but those last three, none of them undertake sufficient duties to take the role.”I mean, Beatrice, when she was still a student, said she didn’t want a life of ribbon-cutting, she wanted to have a career.”He said that the King will have to add new working members of the Royal Family to the Counsellors of State list, due to its significance. Palmer said that Beatrice has already ruled herself out of undertaking the role (Image: GETTY)He said: “You can’t have a new law without royal assent. Cabinet appointments have to be approved by the monarch, or someone standing in for them. So it is a bit weird.”This comes amid reports that plans are being considered to increase the number of senior royals allowed to stand in for the King in his absence.The prospect was raised by Labour Peer Viscount Stansgate on Monday in the House of Lords when he asked the Government what plans it had to amend the Regency Act.DON’T MISS:King has ‘no plan to cut number of working royals’ in surprise U-turn [INSIGHT]Putin’s war descends into farce as hapless conscripts dumped [VIDEO]Harry’s book will be one long whinge to justify exit says PHIL DAMPIER [COMMENT] There are now five Counsellors of State – Queen Camilla, Beatrice, William, Harry and Andrew (Image: GETTY)The Labour Peer asked: ‘Does the minister not think it time to approach the King to discuss the potential amendment of this Act, and in particular Clause 6, which at the moment defines regents in relation to their line of succession to the Crown?’Otherwise, are the government happy to continue with a situation where the counsels of state and regency powers may be exercised by the Duke of York or the Duke of Sussex, one of whom has left public life and the other of whom has left the country?”Dr Craig Prescott, a constitutional expert from Bangor University, told ITV News: “The problem is that three of the five – you have Prince Harry, Prince Andrew and Princess Beatrice – are no longer conducting public duties.”But also you would expect that when the King is away, so would be the Queen travelling with him, so in practice you are only left with Prince William, and the practise is that two counsellors of state are required to act together.”READ NEXT:Meghan Markle and Harry wade into politics with new text hotlinePrince Harry’s staff feared memoir ‘would be disastrous for couple’Harry and Meghan to snub Christmas invite – relations at ‘rock bottom’Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite piece of jewellery cost up to £1millionKing has ‘no plan to cut number of working royals’ in surprise U-turn