King Charles’ move to solve big Harry and Andrew dilemma revealed

Back-to-back royal health bombshells have unearthed the King’s previously unnoticed move to sidestep a very awkward issue.

A discreet move by Buckingham Palace to solve a looming Prince Harry and Prince Andrew problem has been unearthed in the wake of back-to-back royal health announcements.

On Wednesday, UK time, it emerged that both King Charles and the Princess of Wales were being hospitalised in an unexpected double hit.

While details surrounding Kate’s condition remain scarce – the statement simply stated that she’d had “abdominal surgery” and would be taking time out until after Easter – the King, 75, publicly revealed he was suffering from an enlarged prostate, in a bid to warn other men to get checked.

King Charles is receiving treatment for an enlarged prostate. Picture: Chris Jackson/Pool/AFP

Kate has also undergone surgery. Picture: Samir Hussein/WireImage

Despite Charles’ break from duties being specified as a “short period”, it still sparked speculation about whether or not the “Counsellors of State” provision would need to be enacted.

(The team of Counsellors, appointed to step in for the King or Queen if they are unable to carry out their royal duties, is typically made up of the spouse of the monarch and the next four adults in the line of succession.)

While Charles’ obvious substitutes are on the list of backups, including Queen Camilla and Prince William – who is also currently taking time off to care for his wife – somewhat awkwardly, so is US-based non-working royal Prince Harry and the King’s disgraced brother, Prince Andrew.

Harry is currently still listed as a Counsellor of State. Picture: Henry Nicholls/AFP

… As is Prince Andrew. Picture: Andrew Matthews – WPA Pool/Getty Images

After taking over from his mother in late 2022, Charles addressed the potentially delicate situation by simply appointing his two other siblings as Counsellors – Princess Anne and Prince Edward.

With the King’s upcoming surgery again thrusting the issue back into the spotlight, it’s now emerged that at the same time, he discreetly went one step further to ensure Harry and Andrew remained sidelined.

According to the UK’s Times, “in a hitherto unnoticed statement during the second reading of the bill in the Lords on November 21 2022, Lord True, lord privy seal and leader of the Lords, said that the royal household had confirmed that in practice only working members of the royal family will be called on to act as counsellors of state.”

Effectively, Harry and Andrew (and Princess Beatrice, who was bumped up to the role upon the Queen’s death) are now Counsellors in title only.

According to royal expert and former palace press spokesman Dickie Arbiter, it was “the most sensible option”.

“Only Parliament can remove them as Counsellors of State and they’ve got their hands full so the [royal] household have said only working royals can stand in for the king which is a neat and sensible solution to a potential problem,” he told Vanity Fair.

“Let’s not forget this is the first time Charles has been in hospital since he broke his arm in 1990 so he has had a wonderful run of health. He’s pretty fit and should bounce back quickly.”

Despite the provisions, the Palace has maintained the King does not require his Counsellors of State to step in during his surgery and recovery.

Kate, William, and their kids on Christmas Day – her last public outing before the health announcement. Picture: Samir Hussein/WireImage

Meanwhile, Kate’s surgery, undertaken at private hospital The London Clinic, was “successful”, according to the statement released by Kensington Palace.

The Princess of Wales, 42, will remain in hospital for up to two weeks and will remain out of action until “after Easter” as she recovers at home.

It’s understood Prince William will also postpone all engagements for the next fortnight and scale back his duties in order to help care for his wife and cover parenting responsibilities for Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5.

“The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate,” the official statement read.

“She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible; and her wish that her personal medical information remains private.

“Kensington Palace will, therefore, only provide updates on Her Royal Highness’s progress when there is significant new information to share.

“The Princess of Wales wishes to apologise to all those concerned for the fact that she has to postpone her upcoming engagements. She looks forward to reinstating as many as possible, as soon as possible.”