The other day, Buckingham Palace has traditionally published a list of official duties of the royal family, which this time has undergone significant changes. Previously the functions of the 73-year-old Prince Charles included 13 items, now they are under the wording of “a number of parliamentary and diplomatic duties”. This means that Charles will be replacing Elizabeth II more often at state events and on visits to countries in the United Kingdom, which she can no longer visit due to her failing health. Although sources close to the royal court claim that the document has only been slightly updated, it is a big deal for British society.
The palace reported this year that Her Majesty was experiencing mobility problems. The Queen missed a number of important events, including the opening ceremony of the new session of Parliament in early May, where she was represented by Prince Charles and his son, Prince William, 40, who was attending the event for the first time. Rumours of an imminent transfer of the throne have since swirled in public, but so far have not materialised.
Elisabeth did make several public appearances during this time, including events to mark the Platinum Jubilee of her reign in early June. She took to the balcony of Buckingham Palace twice to greet citizens and also met her one-year-old great-granddaughter Lilibeth, daughter of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. However, she declined to attend most of the anniversary celebrations. For example, the Queen was absent from the church service at St Paul’s Cathedral and also missed the Epsom derby and the big pop concert at Buckingham Palace.
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