Princess Beatrice ‘to become counsellor of state’ for King Charles III

Princess Beatrice is expected to become one of four counsellors of state, allowing her to stand in for the King if he is abroad or incapacitated.

Under the 1937 Regency Act, the spouse of a monarch and the four adults next in line to the throne can be deployed as counsellors of state on official business.

Queen Elizabeth II had four Counsellors of State - the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of York - with the Duke of Edinburgh also acting as one before his death.

Buckingham Palace has been under pressure to eject Prince Harry and Prince Andrew from their roles and install other adult members of the working Royal family in their places.

Prince Harry can technically still act as a counsellor because he retains a UK address at Frogmore Cottage, Windsor, despite living in California, which he now calls home.

Prince Andrew’s effective sacking as a working royal over his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and a civil court case in which he was accused of sexually abusing sex trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre, prompted questions about whether he should still be permitted to perform the role.

His elder daughter, Princess Beatrice, is now ninth in line to the throne but the fourth aged over 21.

She married property tycoon Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in 2020 and they had a daughter, Sienna, in September 2021.

She works for software company Afiniti as vice president for strategy and partnerships and although not an official working royal, does carry out occasional engagements.

In this new role, she would be authorised to attend Privy Council meetings, sign routine documents and receive the credentials of new ambassadors to the UK.

The Queen is now eligible to become a counsellor of state as the King’s wife.

It is rare for counsellors of state to be called upon but not unprecedented.

In May, the then Prince Charles and Prince William attended the State Opening of Parliament on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II, opening the new session after being deployed to deputise for her.

Two Counsellors of State were required to be present in order to be constitutionally sound.