Princess Beatrice given important new role after death of the Queen

PRINCESS Beatrice has been given an important new role following the death of her grandmother, the Queen.

The elder daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson is now a Counsellor of State – meaning she can step in for King Charles when needed.

Before Her Majesty’s passing, Charles, William, Harry and Andrew all held the position and could perform the monarch’s duties temporarily if she was unable to “due to illness or absence abroad”.

This is because they are the top four people in line of succession over the age of 21.

But now Charles is King, it means Beatrice is number four on the list, not including Queen Camilla who can also act in His Majesty’s absence.

In her new position, Beatrice will be authorised to carry out most of the official duties of the sovereign, according to the Royal Family website.

This includes attending Privy Council meetings, signing routine documents and receiving the credentials of new ambassadors to the UK.

She will not be delegated Commonwealth matters however, nor be able to create peers, appoint Prime Ministers or dissolve Parliament – unless under the King’s instruction.

Beatrice, married to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, welcomed her first child Sienna last year.

She has previously spoken sweetly about her grandmother, telling Hello! magazine in 2017: “I find her inspiring every day because her overwhelming sense of duty is linked with an overwhelming curiosity.”