Eden: King Charles should totally abdicate when he gets too ‘frail’ to do the job

Prince William is playing a hilariously dangerous game in the wake of Denmark’s Queen Margrethe announcing her abdication. It feels like William has already contacted some of the “friendly” royal reporters to begin laying the groundwork. The talking point from Kensington Palace is: King Charles should do what Margrethe has done and abdicate at some point so that William can be a “young king.” William’s argument is that his father’s abdication doesn’t have to happen now, but maybe in five years or so. This is all so typical of William – he doesn’t have his father’s ability to scheme and plot for decades, William “expects” things to be handed to him. Well, it looks like the Mail’s Richard Eden got a call:

Queen Margrethe of Denmark’s decision to abdicate from the Danish throne has opened the door for King Charles III to do the same, says Richard Eden. Abdication has long been a difficult word for the British Royal Family, but Eden believes that Charles is now free to free to take a different view – and step down when the time is right. Queen Margrethe’s calm, no-nonsense announcement in a live broadcast on New Year’s Eve can only help, he writes in the latest edition of his Palace Confidential newsletter.

‘In my opinion, there is no reason why King Charles should see abdication as a disaster,’ he concludes. ‘The expected smooth transition in Copenhagen will show him that he, too, could follow the example of Queen Margrethe, who’s only eight years his senior. In a secure, confident Monarchy, it would not undermine the hereditary principle if the King were to hand over to his heir before he became too frail to carry out his duties effectively.’

Eden writes: ‘The Queen was haunted by the abdication crisis of 1936 when her shy father, Bertie, reluctantly became King George VI after her uncle, Edward VIII, renounced the throne so he could marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson. George VI died scarcely ten years later, aged 56. For the House of Windsor, abdication has always been a dirty word. Queen Elizabeth, who reigned until her death aged 96, never contemplated handing over to Prince Charles, whatever the makers of Netflix series The Crown might have you believe.’

In time, says Eden, this example could be good news for Charles.

‘Prince William is in no rush to become King: he’s enjoying spending as much time as possible with Catherine and their young children. And the King has settled easily into his new role, supported by Queen Camilla, who turns 77 in July. Queen Margrethe made her decision after undergoing major back surgery and if King Charles finds the burden of being head of state too much in the future, he should follow her lead.’

[From The Daily Mail]

“If the King were to hand over to his heir before he became too frail to carry out his duties effectively…” FRAIL!!! Not William calling his father too frail to handle being king for very long. QEII genuinely believed that abdication was never an option for her, that she had to die on the throne. Charles only believed in abdication when it came to his mother – he waited seven decades for this and while he might not enjoy every aspect of being king, he’s not going to hand the crown to his moron son. Maybe I’m wrong, but Charles definitely has the vibe of “you’ll have to pry the sceptre from my cold dead hands.” Still, it will be amazing to watch as William continues to push the “frail” narrative. Or, “William is a vital man of action unlike his dithering father!”

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