Why Prince Andrew Holds the Power Over Princess Anne to Step in for King Charles III
By HOLLY GARY
History - Science
In 2013, anticipating the birth of Prince William's first child, the late Queen Elizabeth II passed a law removing male royal primogeniture, the rule by which males took precedence over their older sisters in the royal succession. However, as the new law only applied to people born after October 28, 2011, Princess Anne couldn’t benefit from it and thus remains behind her brothers, Princes Andrew and Edward — as well as their children and grandchildren — in the line of succession.
It matters now because of the act passed in 1937 which involves the automatic appointment of the new king's counselors of state, who can step in to carry out official duties when the sovereign is unable to perform those duties in the short term. The list automatically includes the sovereign's spouse and "the next four people in line to the throne who are aged over 21," making Camilla, Prince William, Prince Andrew, Prince Harry, and Princess Beatrice the new counselors.
The automatic appointment of King Charles' counselors of state has caused some concern as Princess Beatrice, Prince Harry, and Prince Andrew are not working royals — and because of Andrew’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein. While changing the counselors of state would require new legislation, many think Princess Anne should replace Andrew, while Thomas Mace-Archer-Mills, founder and director of the British Monarchists Society, thinks Princess Anne should replace Princess Beatrice.