Will Prince William Step In When King Charles Is in the Hospital?

Publish date: 2024-05-16

If you don’t live across the pond (and maybe even if you do), you might be confused about how exactly King Charles III fits into the British government, and who will take over his duties if he is hospitalized for his recent cancer diagnosis. Ahead, we’ve broken down the monarch’s role and what will happen as he steps away to undergo treatment.

How is the British government run?

According to the official U.K. government website, the government is broken down into departments and agencies that help put policies into practice.

However, the jurisdiction of these departments varies across the United Kingdom, because some of them (like the Ministry of Defense) represent the entire country, while others have different bodies representing them in each individual county. In King Charles’s case, he is monarch of the entire United Kingdom, as well as 14 other Commonwealth realms.

Across the U.K., there are 24 ministerial departments, 20 non-ministerial departments, and over 400 agencies and other bodies in total.

Which officials are in charge of the government?

In the British government, the political leader is the prime minister, who is responsible for all policy and decisions within the United Kingdom. According to the official U.K. government website, the PM’s other duties include overseeing the operation of the Civil Service and government agencies, appointing members of the government, and acting as the principal governmental figure in Parliament’s House of Commons.

While there is a general election about every five years for prime ministers, there are no term limits for these leaders. The longest-running PM in history was Sir Robert Walpole, who served for almost 21 years, from 1721 to 1742.

In addition to the prime minister, the government also includes a cabinet, composed of senior members chosen by the PM. There are 23 cabinet ministers, while Parliament features another 101 ministers who comprise the House of Commons and House of Lords. (If you’re curious as to each of their roles, you can read more about that here.)

So, how does King Charles fit in?

Charles’s role as monarch is largely symbolic, and while he is technically the head of state, he is expected to remain politically neutral.

Although the monarchy is the oldest form of government in the U.K., the ability to make and pass legislation has lain in the hands of Parliament since 1689, when Great Britain became a constitutional monarchy and took political power away from the royal family.

However, the British monarch still has a few different responsibilities within the government. For instance, when a piece of legislation is passed through Parliament, Charles must formally approve it for it to become law. (However, no monarch has refused what is referred to as the Royal Assent since 1708.) He also performs other tasks, like dissolving Parliament after a general election and meeting with the prime minister each week to discuss current governmental affairs (meetings that are kept quite secret and never documented). As fans of The Crown could tell you, the monarch also receives a red box each day containing dispatches from the government.

According to the official royal family website, King Charles generally “[acts] as a focus for national identity, unity and pride; gives a sense of stability and continuity; officially recognizes success and excellence; and supports the ideal of voluntary service.”

Will Charles’s role change following his recent diagnosis?

Per a statement from Buckingham Palace, the king has decided to reduce his public appearances following his recent cancer diagnosis. The statement read: “His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties. Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake state business and official paperwork as usual.”

In a report from the BBC, a message from Buckingham Palace also noted, “His Majesty would like to apologize to all those who may be disappointed or inconvenienced as a consequence,” and added that “[King Charles] looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible.”

While the king undergoes treatment, Queen Camilla will continue to attend engagements, and we can likely expect other members of the royal family to step in and help as well.

How might Prince William’s role change?

As the first in the line of succession to the throne, Prince William would be the one to take his father’s place as sovereign if Charles were to pass away. As for whether there is an official policy to follow if the king becomes medically incapacitated: Unfortunately, there is not.

Town & Country notes that one of the most helpful British laws laid out for such a scenario is the Regency Act of 1937. This act states that if a monarch becomes completely incapacitated, the next in line to the throne will be appointed as regent, unless they are under 18 years of age, in which case it falls to the first royal in the line of succession who is.

This act also says that the king may delegate certain royal duties to his Counsellors of State if he is medically unwell: “Letters Patent (a legal document) specifies the duties these Counsellors can carry out, which can include holding Privy Council meetings or granting Royal Assent to legislations.”

Current Counsellors of State include Queen Camilla, Prince William, Princess Beatrice, Princess Anne, and Prince Edward. Prince Harry and Prince Andrew both also served in the role, until they stepped back from their royal duties (resulting in the act being amended in 2022).

As of now, however, Buckingham Palace’s position is that it does not believe it will be necessary to invoke the Regency Act.

Joel is the editorial and social media assistant for HarpersBAZAAR.com, where he covers all things celebrity news. When he steps away from the keyboard, you can likely find him singing off-key at concerts, scavenging thrift stores for loud wardrobe staples, or perusing bookstores for the next great gay romance novel.