Will Charles take the throne.....or not?

I'm with MOnica - why on earth would he abdicate?

I hope he'll share the duties around and take time to ensure Prince William is fully up to speed for when he needs to take over.

William will be Prince of Wales, Charles was very popular when younger

I just feel Charles may consider the people would prefer a younger more vibrant King, having had an elderly monarch for some years. It would keep the monarchy more relevant to have someone younger.

JaneJudge

it was acceptable in the 80s

We all live and learn from past mistakes…

it was acceptable in the 80s

Anniebach

The working royal family will be Charles, Camilla, William, Kate, Edward and Sophie who will be duke and duchess of
Edinburgh and Anne.

Unless Harry and Megan return !

Princess Alexandra and the Duke of Kent are currently working royals - so unless they drop dead the day Charles becomes king I think they'll continue to be classed as such, despite their age.

Anniebach

William and Harry were paraded for the media by their mother, even playing on a beach on holiday, they were still in
school when we got the Panorama interview

Yes, it wasn’t an ideal childhood by any stretch of imagination.

William and Harry were paraded for the media by their mother, even playing on a beach on holiday, they were still in
school when we got the Panorama interview

JaneJudge

what like William and Harry?

I think their early years may have been marred by their parents divorce and their mothers premature death.

Totally different from the Cambridge family unit, Catherine is close to her family and William appears to be close to his Father.

what like William and Harry?

Anniebach

The working royal family will be Charles, Camilla, William, Kate, Edward and Sophie who will be duke and duchess of
Edinburgh and Anne.

Unless Harry and Megan return !

I think you are correct Annie

I sincerely hope that the three Cambridge little ones can have as normal a childhood as possible.

Charles had better not abdicate. As a taxpayer I've been paying for his king training all these years! I don't want to see my contribution wasted.

The working royal family will be Charles, Camilla, William, Kate, Edward and Sophie who will be duke and duchess of
Edinburgh and Anne.

Unless Harry and Megan return !

Startling to think that at William's age, 40, the Queen had been on the throne for 15 years!

He’s waited long enough hasn’t he? He doesn’t look as hale and hearty as his mother though, so William would only be in his 50s when and if he becomes King.

I think that’s bound to continue with the slimmed down RF Annie. Quite right too.

He will not abdicate- as others have said he has waited a very long time. I do think the queen should hand over now and enjoy whatever time she has left.

I agree it would be good if William and Kate can enjoy their young family for a few more years.

He won't be the first heir apparent to have hung on for a long time, Edward VII had nine brief years when he followed his mother, Queen Victoria. Similarly George !V too pretty short reign. He got a stab at Prince Regent for quite a while I believe whilst his father George III, suffering from Porphyria, mistaken for madness was off the scene, shut away being bled or whatever the crazy quacks did then not really knowing how to treat it.

I don't think Charles looks as healthy and robust as he could for someone of his age, for example he is very florid and seems to suffer from puffy fingers.

Why on earth should he abdicate?

Charles and William are already working together

Why do you say that?

Of course he’ll be king and do his duty like his mother.

I read the other day that only three British monarchs have lived past the age of 80. The queen, obviously, Queen Victoria and George the Third.

It may depend how old he is when he finally becomes king. What if the queen lives as long as her mother did?

If soon, maybe he would not immediately abdicate, but I don’t think he will rule it out, especially as he gets older. He won’t hang on indefinitely.

No, it’s what he has been groomed to do for the last 60+ years.