The British monarchy could be abolished before Prince George has the chance to be king, according to British writer Hilary Mantel

• British writer Hilary Mantel told The Times that she believes Prince George may never be king.

• The monarchy could be in danger because royals are now seen as "celebrities," Mantel said.

• The monarchy's existence was recently questioned after Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview.

• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

The monarchy could be abolished within two generations, according to British writer Hilary Mantel.

In an article in The Times of London, titled "Hilary Mantel: why Prince George won't be king," the royal-historical novelist said that Prince William's son - who is third in the line of succession - may not have the chance to inherit the throne because the royals are now seen as "celebrities."

"I think it's a fair prediction, but let's say I wouldn't put money on it. It's very hard to understand the thinking behind the monarchy in the modern world when people are just seen as celebrities," Mantel told The Times' Bryan Appleyard.

Charles, 72, is first in line to the British throne, followed by his eldest son William, 39. George, age 8, is the eldest of William and Kate Middleton's three children.

While Mantel isn't an admirer of the monarchy, "she admires the devotion of Charles and the Queen," Appleyard writes.

"I think they do it as well as anyone possibly could, take it as seriously as anyone could," Mantel told Appleyard.

This isn't the first time the monarchy's longevity has been questioned

Speculation over the monarchy's survival surfaced after Prince Andrew's involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's royal exit last year.

More recently, the couple alleged that their son was subjected to racism from within the royal household during a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey back in March.

Prince Charles has seen a drop in popularity in the UK after the interview - where it was revealed he stopped taking Harry's calls in 2020 - Insider's Samantha Grindell previously reported.

Nadine Batchelor-Hunt, political correspondent at Joe.co.uk, said that the royals are "becoming increasingly out of place in contemporary society" due to the family's past and present scandals.

"The time has come: let's abolish the monarchy," she wrote in March.

Mantel's argument that the royals are seen as "celebrities" could be a reference to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who have seemingly gone to great lengths to change their public persona in recent months.

As Insider's Anneta Konstantinides previously reported, the couple's PR strategy appeared to change after Harry and Markle's Oprah interview. They launched a YouTube channel, released informal anniversary photos, and adapted their social media style to appear more current and relatable to the public.

"What they're doing now they've been doing since the 1840s," royal historian Clare McHugh previously told Insider. "That was a revolutionary moment in Europe when all sorts of monarchies were being overturned and Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had to find a way to make the monarchy seem more appealing so that it would stick around."

Buckingham Palace declined to comment when contacted by Insider.

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