CHARLES will make brother Edward the Duke of Edinburgh – although not for another eight years, the Queen’s former aide has claimed.
The Earl of Wessex has waited for more than two decades to inherit his late father’s title – but Charles has reportedly refused to grant it as he moves forward with plans to slim down the monarchy.
As the oldest of Philip’s sons, Charles inherited his Dukedom after his death earlier this year.
But the title has long been expected to be passed to Edward – and in 1999, Buckingham Palace announced he would succeed his father in “due course”.
It was last week claimed, however, that Charles is reconsidering, and a source said: “It won’t go to Edward.”
Now former Buckingham Palace press officer Dickie Arbiter has weighed in on the row.
It comes as:
- Meghan Markle is creating a new animated series for Netflix as part of a £112m deal
- An expert claims Meghan and Harry’s Emmy nod is “farcical” as they “spouted complete untruths” to Oprah
- A sweet new clip has emerged showing protective mum Kate putting her arm around son George at the Euro 2020 final
- And footage shows the moment Meghan’s friend Priyanka Chopra ‘ignores’ clapping for the Cambridges at Wimbledon
And he said Charles is simply waiting, and has no plans to defy his parents’ specific wishes.
“That Prince Edward will become The Duke of Edinburgh in the next reign was his father’s and is his mother’s wishes and Prince Charles won’t go against those,” he said.
“It won’t happen immediately, but by 2029, when Edward turns 65, it will.
“Time for speculation, without substance, to cease.”
Edward and his family have become increasingly important to the monarchy after Prince Philip’s death.
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His wife Sophie was called the Queen’s “rock” after she became a widow, and one courtier claimed: “If you’re asking who is Her Majesty’s favourite child, it’s none of them, it’s her daughter-in-law.”
Both also gave moving statements to the press after Philip died, and have since carried out a range of royal duties to support the monarch.
Meanwhile, just last month Edward spoke of his feelings at being made the Duke of Edinburgh, telling the Daily Telegraph: “It’s a very bittersweet role to take on because the only way the title can come to me is after both my parents have actually passed away.
“It has to go back to the Crown first. My father was very keen that the title should continue, but he didn’t quite move quickly enough with Andrew, so it was us who he eventually had the conversation with.
“It was a lovely idea; a lovely thought.”
Prince Andrew became the Duke of York upon his marriage to Sarah Ferguson in 1986, a title previously held by his maternal grandfather.
In a separate interview with the BBC, Edward was asked if becoming the duke was “quite something to take on”.
He replied: “It was fine in theory, ages ago when it was sort of a pipe dream of my father’s . . . and of course it will depend on whether or not the Prince of Wales, when he becomes king, whether he’ll do that, so we’ll wait and see.”
‘CHARLES WILL RESPECT HIS PARENTS’ WISHES’
Charles himself says reports about the title are “speculation”.
He can only make such decisions on his eventual accession to the throne.
A spokesperson for the prince told People: “All stories of this nature are speculation and no final decisions have been taken.
“It would be inappropriate and disrespectful to the Queen to comment on matters of accession and we will be maintaining our long-standing policy of not doing so.”
Buckingham Palace also declined to comment.
Charles is planning to shrink the number of senior royals carrying out public service following Megxit and Prince Andrew stepping back from public life.
A slimmed-down version could see just Charles, Camilla, William, Kate, Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte as senior royals, alongside the Wessex’s.
Others may be urged to look for other ways to help support themselves and could end up losing their highly-valued titles and patronages.
