Thread by @ScotExpress

As Prince Charles delivers the Queen's speech to parliament today, royal commentators are saying Prince Charles is teetering on the edge of becoming a 'de facto prince regent'

Here's a thread on why 🧵

The Prince of Wales is "teetering on the edge of becoming a de facto prince regent" 👑🇬🇧 scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-…

Buckingham Palace is apparently keen to show the monarchy is "safe in the hands of father and son" #QueensSpeech

Former BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt said the opening of Parliament by both Charles and the Duke of Cambridge, with the prince reading the Queen's speech, was a "significant moment for two future kings".

#PrinceCharles #PrinceWilliam #QueensSpeech

The Queen has delegated certain powers as head of state to both her son and heir Charles and second-in-line William as Counsellors of State to open Parliament on her behalf today in an unprecedented move. 👑 🇬🇧

"With the Queen progressively withdrawing from public life, the palace is keen to show the monarchy is safe in the hands of father and son."

Constitutional expert Dr Bob Morris, of UCL's Constitution Unit, said it was "more likely than not" that the arrangements would continue for future state openings.

This means the Queen, who is now 96 and facing "episodic mobility problems", may not ever open Parliament again.

Dr Morris said: "It is unprecedented and it's the way in which the constitution flexes to accommodate unusual circumstances.

"I can't think of any possible earlier version of this."

He added: "They've gone down the Counsellor of State route, that's one way round it. The Prince of Wales is giving the speech and William is there as his stay and support as it were. It's a rather odd confection but it works." #PrinceWilliam #PrinceCharles

In the event that the Queen cannot undertake her official duties as sovereign on a temporary basis due to illness or absence abroad, two or more Counsellors of State are appointed by Letters Patent to act in her place. 👑

By law, Counsellors of State include the sovereign's spouse, which would have been the late Prince Philip, and the next four people in the line of succession who are over the age of 21.

These are currently the Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince Harry and the Prince Andrew.

But there are certain core constitutional functions, that unless there is a regency, cannot be delegated.

Like:
Giving Royal Assent to legislation,
Appointing a prime minister,
The weekly meetings with the PM,
Appointing and dismissing governor-generals.

A regency would be when the Queen transferred her powers as monarch to Charles without having to abdicate.

The Regency Act 1937 states that the monarch's duties will be performed by a regent if the monarch is declared to be incapable, or if there is "evidence" they can't do role

The Queen is currently still carrying out duties from Windsor, and is due to have her weekly audience with the PM on Wednesday and hold a Privy Council this week #PrinceWilliam #PrinceCharles #QueensSpeech

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