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Thursday's Final Word
When the Palace announced that King Charles had cancer and was receiving treatment, many royal watchers wondered what that meant for the immediate future of the monarchy and how the slimmed-down Firm would operate in the king’s absence.
We saw the working royals step up with Queen Camilla and Prince William taking on more duties and engagements than they would normally have. But because King Charles is still receiving treatment and not getting any younger, some have wondered if there is another person the monarch trusts enough to take on more responsibilities for him if needed.
Here’s who the king’s former employee thinks that would be.
King Charles’ former butler says this royal could take on more responsibilities for monarch
Grant Harrold was King Charles’ butler for seven years. During his time working for the now-monarch Harrold’s duties included those of valet, housekeeper, house manager, and driver. He also looked after Prince Harry, Prince William, and Kate whenever they stayed at Highgrove House.
Speaking on behalf of Prime Casino, Harrold shared with Showbiz Cheat Sheet that the person who would likely shoulder more of the responsibilities if the king were to step back from some of his duties would be his sister-in-law, Sophie. The Duchess of Edinburgh (formerly the Countess of Wessex) has been married to the king’s brother, Prince Edward, since 1999.
Harrold explained, “I think it’s pretty clear that the king isn’t at his best — there’s no real secret about that. That said, we did see him carry out a successful tour in Italy, which shows he’s still very much active when he can be. But it does highlight the reality: he’s getting older, and the future is uncertain. So it makes sense that he’s starting to be practical about that future.
“That’s where Sophie comes in. She’s always been very close to him, and to Queen Elizabeth as well. Both Sophie and Edward have long had strong ties within the family, and the (late) queen was reportedly keen for Sophie to take on a more prominent role in royal life.”
Harrold added: “It also comes down to the fact that many of the older working royals — the Kents, the Gloucesters — are really aging now. They’re simply not able to carry on doing engagements like they used to … So Sophie stepping up is really just a practical move. The king, understandably, can’t do everything, especially as his treatment continues. You can’t expect Queen Camilla, Catherine, or Princess Anne to carry the entire workload on their own. Catherine is still recovering, Anne is already one of the hardest-working royals, and the children are far too young to be involved. Prince Andrew is out of the question.
“That really leaves Edward and Sophie as key figures. If Harry and Meghan had remained part of the working royal family, I think they absolutely would have been sharing a lot of this responsibility too — alongside William and Catherine. But given that situation, the focus now naturally falls more on Sophie and Edward, who I believe will continue to play a larger and more visible role going forward.”
Why King Charles will never abdicate the throne
However, the monarch’s former butler made it crystal clear that even if the king were to scale back his duties a bit, he doesn’t believe he will ever abdicate the throne.
“But abdication? No,” Harrold insisted. “Just like his mother, he’ll continue to serve until his final breath. That sense of duty is ingrained in him — it’s who he is. No one truly knows what’s going on in the king’s mind, but from what I saw — and I don’t believe he’s changed in this regard — abdication would be the very last thing he’d ever consider. It’s just not in his nature.”
