Prince Harry and Andrew face being stripped of key roles as King Charles looks at changing law

Now the Queen has gone, Prince Harry and the Duke of York are at risk of another massive change that will see their royal status sink lower.

King Charles is considering changing the law so counsellors of the state are only working members of the Royal Family, the Telegraph has reported.

This would mean that Prince Harry and the Duke of York could face being stripped of their key roles as non-working royals.

Presently, the spouse of a monarch and the four adults who are next in line to take the throne can be sent on official business as counsellors of the state, according to the 1937 Regency Act.

At the moment, that includes Prince Harry, Prince Andrew and Princess Beatrice who are not working members of the royal family.

Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex are non-working royals who might be stripped of their roles under a possible law change. Picture: AFP

But The Sun reports the King wishes to amend the current standings so that others can step in should the sovereign be abroad or incapacitated.

According to reports, the Earl of Wessex and the Princess Royal could be contenders to take on the role in the King’s absence.

King Charles is believed to want to take the relevant steps to have the law changed as soon as he can.

Tweaks to the legislation would need to be enacted by the Houses of Parliament.

When Queen Elizabeth was reigning, roles were taken up by the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of York.

King Charles III receives UK Prime Minister Liz Truss in the 1844 Room at Buckingham Palace on September 18, 2022 in Londo. Picture: WPA Pool/Getty Images

Earlier today Charles held an audience with Liz Truss before a reception for world leaders.

His Majesty was pictured laughing with the new Prime Minister after she shook his hand and curtsied to him.

It is Ms Truss’ third audience with the King since he became monarch earlier this month.

The King and Queen Consort are also set to host world leaders and official overseas guests at the palace in an “official state event” later.

And the Prime Minister will meet Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau and Polish president Andrzej Duda in Downing Street.

King Charles III speaks with Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, as he receives realm prime ministers in the 1844 Room at Buckingham Palace on September 17, 2022. Picture: WPA Pool/Getty Images

New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern was the first to arrive for the Queen’s funeral on Monday, with hundreds more expected over the weekend.

Yesterday the King thanked emergency workers for providing a ring of steel for his mother’s funeral.

He greeted officers at the Metropolitan Police Service Special Operations Room in London ahead of what has been described as Britain’s biggest ever security operation.

King Charles and son Prince William also surprised mourners waiting in a five-mile queue to see the Queen lying in state.

Crowds cheered as the Monarch and his son arrived to thank people for waiting up to 26 hours to pay their respects to Her Majesty at Westminster Hall.

At 8pm Sunday, Britain will observe a minute’s silence to remember the Queen.

People have been invited to mark the occasion privately at home, on their doorstep or street, or at community events and vigils.

King Charles III, with Camilla, Queen Consort in Wales following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Picture: Andrew Matthews-WPA Pool/Getty Images

It will come shortly after the Queen Consort pays a televised tribute to the late monarch, recalling her “wonderful blue eyes” and saying: “I will always remember her smile.”

Camilla, in prerecorded words on the BBC, will speak of how Queen Elizabeth II was a “solitary woman” in a male-dominated world.

New details recently emerged how Charles was told his mother was dying in a phone call before “everything fell silent”, according to a royal commentator.

The new monarch and Queen Consort Camilla were at Dumfries House in Scotland when an aide was heard running down the corridor to find them, it is reported.

Camilla was about to record an interview with former US President George Bush’s daughter when Charles was frantically handed the phone, according to Newsweek’s chief royal correspondent Jack Royston.

He was told the Queen’s health was failing, prompting the pair to make a last-minute dash to Balmoral.