Princess Royal and Prince Edward join royals like Harry and Andrew who can deputise for King Charles

The Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex will join members of the royal family who can stand in for the King when he cannot fulfil official duties in a move that will make it even less likely that Prince Harry and Prince Andrew will be called to do so.

King Charles’ intention was announced in a signed message read to the House of Lords by the Lord Chamberlain, Lord Parker of Minsmere, who is the most senior official in the royal household.

Charles said the aim of the increase was to ‘ensure continued efficiency of public business when I am unavailable’.

Counsellors of State, who can deputise for the monarch if he is overseas on an official trip or ill, include the Duke of Sussex, who lives in California after stepping down as a working royal, and the disgraced Duke of York.

This comes after rising calls for Princess Anne to receive an exemption from parliament to act on behalf of the King despite rules which prevented her from doing so. 

Prince William, Prince of Wales and King Charles arrive to attend the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph on Whitehall in central London yesterday

Princess Anne, Princess Royal during the National Service Of Remembrance at The Cenotaph yesterday

Provisions for the counsellors are made under the Regency Acts 1937 to 1953 and those who can currently stand in for Charles include the Queen Consort, and the four most senior adults in the line of succession – Prince of Wales, Harry, Andrew and Princess Beatrice.

Speaking at the despatch box in the upper chamber, Lord Parker said he had the honour to present a message from the King ‘signed by his own hand’.

The independent crossbencher told peers: ‘The message is as follows: “To ensure continued efficiency of public business when I am unavailable such as while I am undertaking official duties overseas, I confirm that I would be most content, should Parliament see fit, for the number of people who may be called upon to act as Counsellors of State under the terms of the Regency Acts 1937 to 1953 to be increased to include my sister and brother – the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex and Forfar – both of whom have previously undertaken this role”.’

 Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex during the National Service Of Remembrance

Prince Harry (second-right) with his wife Meghan (right), brother Prince William (second-left) and his wife Kate (left) meeting members of the public at Windsor Castle in Berkshire following the death of Queen Elizabeth II

The line of succession to the throne of the United Kingdom since Charles became King

There were approving shouts of ‘hear, hear’ from the red benches at the end of the King’s message being read out.

It comes after Labour Peer Viscount Stansgate, the son of the late left-wing firebrand Tony Benn, recently questioned the current list of royals able to officiate when the King is not available, given it included the Duke of York and the Duke of Sussex ‘one of whom has left public life and the other of whom has left the country’.

It is thought any changes to legislation to increase the number of counsellors would be completed later this year before the prospect of the King and Queen Consort going on overseas tours in 2023, which may coincide with the Prince and Princess of Wales also being out of the country.

Counsellors of State are authorised to carry out most of the official duties of the Sovereign like attending Privy Council meetings, signing routine documents and receiving the credentials of new ambassadors to the UK.

But certain core constitutional functions cannot be delegated, like appointing a prime minister or creating peers.