PRINCES Harry and Andrew could be sidelined to avoid them standing in for King Charles under plans being finalised, it is reported.
The new rules would allow the King to draw on a wider range of royals to stand in for him in his absence.
Prince Andrew could be side-lined under plans being finalised
The policies being drawn up could also make it less likely for Prince Harry to stand in for the King
The Princes can be appointed Counsellors of State because they are among the four most senior adults in the line of succession
Currently two Counsellors of State can act when the monarch is absent and they are appointed from the four most senior adults in the line of succession, plus the consort.
This means Queen Camilla, Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew and Princess Beatrice.
But the new proposals would allow the King to widen that pool at his discretion, the Mail reports.
It could mean his other two siblings Princess Anne and Prince Edward would be allowed to represent him in his absence.
Currently Princess Beatrice and Prince William could still stand in rather than Princes Harry and Andrew.
She was given the important new role after the Queen’s death last month.
But because Beatrice is a private citizen, she may not always be readily available.
The issue was raised in the House of Lords earlier this week.
Labour’s hereditary peer Viscount Stansgate asked: “Are the Government happy to continue with a situation where the counsels of state and regency powers may be exercised by the Duke of York or the Duke of Sussex, one of whom has left public life and the other of whom has left the country?”
The last time the monarch was out the country was when the late Queen visited Malta for the 2015 Commonwealth summit.
The Dukes of Sussex and York were both appointed Counsellors of State beforehand.
It had previously been reported that Prince Harry and Prince Andrew were to be stripped of key roles under the King.
Experts have also said that Prince Andrew will be relegated to “dogwalker in chief” and faces being frozen out of royal life.
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They said his future could be little more than simply looking after The Queen’s three surviving corgis – Candy, Muick and Sandy – who he inherited after her death.
And it is unlikely he will get back his estimated £248,000 pocket money he used to get as a “working Royal” from The Queen.
The King can appoint two Counsellors of State to act in his absence
