In a surprising statement, Queen Elizabeth II opened up about what her wishes are for the future of the Commonwealth, and Prince Charles is at the forefront of her vision.
People Magazine is reporting that Queen Elizabeth II has formally endorsed her son, Prince Charles, as the next head of the Commonwealth. She made her plea during a speech at a meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government on Thursday.
The Prince of Wales and his wife the Duchess of Cornwall accompanied her to the event and watched her speech from the front row of the audience. The Prince also spoke at the engagement.
"The Monarch, who turns 92 on Saturday, formally asked the Commonwealth Heads of Government to appoint Charles as her successor of the association of Britain and its former colonies."
So how does this work? I thought Charles was automatically the next King, as he is the firstborn child of the reigning Sovereign. Where most people get confused is that the Head of the Commonwealth is not the same as the King of England.
While it is true that the line of succession to be Monarch is firmly entrenched in Royal tradition, being the head of the Commonwealth is not so straightforward.
Queen Elizabeth has been the group's symbolic figurehead since 1952. On Friday, leaders are expected to discuss who should follow her in the role.
"The position is not hereditary, but Prince Charles is expected to get the nod. (As the Queen's firstborn, Charles is the hereditary heir to the British throne, which he will automatically inherit upon his mother's death.)"
In her remarks, Her Majesty reaffirmed her desire for the future of the Monarchy and its relationship with the member nations of the Commonwealth.
"It is my sincere wish that the Commonwealth will continue to offer stability and continuity for future generations and will decide that one day the Prince of Wales should carry on the important work started by my father in 1949," the Queen said at the formal opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting at Buckingham Palace.
In the meantime, the Queen is stepping back from many of her duties and handing them over to the Prince of Wales. Many see this as a way to make the transition from her to her son after she dies.
And, although a reigning Monarch has never retired from the position, many wonder if things are about to change in that regard. Time will tell, of course, and we'll just have to sit back and wait and see.
To listen to the Queen's own words on the matter, watch the video, below.
