While Prince William and Kate’s eldest son Prince George looks ever the king in training, royal experts have claimed that he may never get to wear the crown. The just turned 8-year-old is the eldest of the couple’s three children and is third in line to the throne after grandfather Prince Charles and father Prince William. But now royal experts have said by the time Prince George inherits the throne the monarchy may not even exist. Royal expert and author of “The Last Queen: How Queen Elizabeth II Saved the Monarchy”, Clive Irving has argued that the monarchy could be abolished entirely before George even gets close to taking the throne. Irving says this will depend on what the monarchy looks like under Prince Charles’ reign, if he indeed wants to become king after Queen Elizabeth.
At 72 years old Charles, the Queen and Prince Phillip’s eldest child and son, is the eldest heir apparent in British history.
However, 94-year-old Queen Elizabeth is the oldest reigning monarch in British history and showing no signs of stepping down. She is set to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee in 2022 marking 70 years on the throne.
Irving argues when the time comes Prince Charles will not be the kind of monarch that Queen Elizabeth has been which could mean the royal family could head in a different direction.
“Before you can assess how William, and later George, might work out, you have to allow for the way the monarchy will look under King Charles, and whether under him it can survive,” he said.
With Megan and Harry stepping down as senior royals there may be a tendency for future royals to follow suit.
Another royal expert Christopher Lee also said 7-year-old Prince George’s future as king also depends on how popular a monarch Prince Charles is.
The former BBC Royal Correspondent claimed the current popularity of the monarchy is down to the Queen herself, “her longevity and her air of mystery” in never complaining or explaining while he says her successor Prince Charles is far less popular.
According to a survey carried out by YouGov in the U.K. the most popular royal in 2021 was the Queen with 76 percent of the vote, her grandson Prince William in second place and his wife Catherine in third.
Prince Charles is in 7th place behind his father Prince Philip, his sister Princess Anne and his niece Zara Phillips, according to the survey.
Whether Prince George will become king is also dependent on how long before he becomes a monarch in the U.K. If Prince George’s grandfather and father have inherited the longevity genes of the Queen, it could be five decades before he becomes king.
Prince George is third in line to the throne and his younger siblings Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are fourth and fifth in line.
But despite differing opinions on the royal family’s future George’s parents Prince William and Duchess Catherine have been preparing their eldest son for the big day.
“William and Kate have already talked to George and Charlotte about their future roles, but in a child-like way so that they understand without feeling overwhelmed,” a royal source shared.
“George knows there’s something special about him and that one day he’ll be the future King of England,” the insider added.
The royal family’s survival is partly based on their ability to stay relevant which means modernization. Harry and Meghan’s decision to step back as royals has affected the royal family in more ways than one, especially now they reportedly no longer receive any money from public sources in the U.K.
Irving pointed out the high cost of the royal family in the U.K., something Prince Charles has inadvertently addressed amid reports that he is considering cutting the number of official senior royals after the Queen dies, as per the Independent newspaper.
Mr Irving added: “Together the royal family occupies 15 state residences paid for by public money at the cost of at least 82 million pounds a year – in contrast Denmark, for example, allots around nine million pounds to its royal family.
“A pared-down monarchy – fewer palaces, no freeloaders and attractively modern family heads – might make a re-boot work, but that’s impossible to judge right now.”
