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Paul Burrell, a former butler to Princess Diana, has suggested that King Charles will give up the throne in favour of Prince William within the next decade.

Paul, who served Diana from 1987 until her tragic passing in 1997, shared his insights with the New York Post, claiming that the 75-year-old king might be planning to step down as monarch soon enough.

He said that Charles is “buying time”, adding that “I think it will happen in this country. I think the king and queen have given this job 10 years, I think this is a 10-year plan,” Paul remarked, highlighting a potential timeframe for this significant royal transition.

 

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Since the precedent has been set by Queen Margrethe of Denmark, it seems the notion of a monarch relinquishing the throne to their heir is becoming more acceptable across Europe, and Paul anticipates Charles will follow suit.

“I don’t think he will want to continue being king when crowned heads of Europe have found that they can hand over to their heirs and see them become monarch and enjoy it,” he explained.

Charles may very well choose a different path from his late mother, as Queen Elizabeth II was rather dedicated to serving as monarch for her entire life.

“The queen would never have done that because she came from a different generation, her entire life was molded around being a monarch. But the king will know exactly what to do and take a page out of Prince Philip’s book and say, ‘I’ve done enough’ and want to do things he wants to do.”

Paul reckons Prince William’s eventual ascension to the throne would “complete the circle” – that Princess Diana’s son would become king – which he believes the country will embrace.

The conversation around royal abdication was sparked by Queen Margrethe’s announcement during her New Year’s Eve address in 2023. For the first time, she revealed her plans to step down, paving the way for King Frederik and Queen Mary to become the new heads of the Danish monarchy. The 83-year-old cited her health issues and back pain as a reason to step down.

Indeed, the physical demands of royal duty are no joke, and there is no doubt that Charles is feeling just that. The king has been recovering from his own ailments, taking a break from his duties, so it is only a matter of time until he decides to fully relinquish his role over to his son.

[source:hello!magazine]