The Shadow King: Royal conspiracy theory that the Queen will hand reins to Charles is plausible, but unlikely

If indeed the Queen chooses to retire, the law seems to require not just infirmity, but incapacity. To retire otherwise, the Queen would have to abdicate

Queen Elizabeth II and her son Prince Charles. There have been dramatic claims Charles is the “Shadow King,” even though he is next in line to the throne. Stefan Rousseau/AFP via Getty Images/File

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It is a curious bookend to the record long reign of Queen Elizabeth II that she is being talked about once again as a major test case for the laws of regency, or substitute monarchy.

Today, it is because of unconfirmed rumours she intends to retire at age 95, in less than two years.

But back when she became Queen on the death of her father King George VI in 1952, it was because Elizabeth’s heir apparent was a little boy, her eldest son Charles. Her death, in theory, would put a child on the throne. So the laws had to be changed allowing for another adult to act as Regent in the place of the minor monarch until little Charles grew up. In this specific case, it would have been the Queen’s husband Prince Philip, although her sister Margaret was technically next in line.

It was reminiscent of the legislative problem that arose a generation previously, in 1936, when George VI became King while Elizabeth was 10. Concern about a possible child queen led Parliament to pass the first rules of regency that applied generally. There had been many regents before in Britain, but those were all provided for in specific legislation.

Some were major historical actors in their own right, such as Mary of Guise, who reigned over Scotland in the mid-16th century after the death of her husband King James V and during the childhood of her daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots, who would later be executed for plotting to claim the throne of England.


The term is most commonly associated with the Regency era of the early 19th century, when the future King George IV stood in as Prince Regent for his famously insane father, George III. It marked a high point in London as the hub of empire, and left its mark on the capital with Regent’s Park, Regent Street, and the cultural touchstone of the men’s fashion icon Beau Brummell, the Prince Regent’s dandy friend.

Since then, regency has fallen into relative obscurity. The laws of 1937 also allowed for what are known as Counsellors of State, to whom the monarch can delegate official functions in the case of short-term absence or inability. The current list includes Philip, Charles, William, Harry, and Andrew.

But if indeed the Queen chooses to retire in less than two years, the law seems to require not just the infirmity that naturally comes with growing old, but incapacity. To retire otherwise, the Queen would have to abdicate, which has not happened since her uncle King Edward VIII famously chose love over monarchy in 1936, putting the Queen’s father on the throne.

There were reasons to be skeptical of reports that the Queen is preparing to hand over to her son Charles before she dies. It would break with tradition, for one thing. All the tabloid reports to this effect were appropriately hedged, anonymous, and couched in the gossipy passive voice, with the firmest claim being that Her Majesty will give this possibility serious consideration.

King George IV, who at one point stood in as Prince Regent for his famously insane father, George III. Wikipedia

This was not an official announcement. The Queen is unlikely to have leaked news of her retirement two weeks before a general election she is desperately trying to stay out of, after getting a bit too close to politics for royal comfort a few weeks ago because of the free-wheeling constitutional maneouvres of Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

As the longest-reigning monarch in British history, she is unlikely to panic and let the timing of her own departure be dictated, or seen to be dictated, by the scandal of the moment over her son Andrew’s alleged sex crimes.

Andrew’s disastrous television interview over the sex allegations against him was a crisis moment that called on Charles the heir to step up to protect the family’s long-term interests, not least his own. This was his moment to prove he can run “the Firm,” according to “a well-placed royal source” quoted by the Sun newspaper.

Absent any official confirmation, there is still a plausible royal conspiracy theory here. The Queen, indefatigable as she famously is, is getting old and is no doubt thinking about succession. Her husband Prince Philip gave up official duties at age 95, which the Queen will attain in 18 months.

As the longest-reigning monarch in British history, the Queen is unlikely to let the timing of her own departure be dictated

The Sun’s source said the terms “regime change” and “regency” are banned in the royal household, but that a transition “is plainly already underway.”

Writer Robert Jobson, who covers the royal family, has reported that Charles has already been invited by the Queen to participate in meetings involving affairs of state and has been given access to her despatch box of official documents.

There are even dramatic claims that Charles has become known as the Shadow King, a comically grand title for a guy who has been next in line his whole life.

They laughed at “Waity Katie” way back when a marriage proposal from Prince William seemed to be taking too long, but Charles is the original Windsor Waiter, 71 years and counting. He knows it is coming though, eventually, even if he must get through a regency first.

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