The Queen will "seriously consider" handing the crown to Prince Charles this week following the death of Prince Philip.
According to The Daily Express, an insider claimed back in 2019 that the monarch previously considered stepping down from her role as sovereign when she turned 95 – which she is due to do on Wednesday, April 21, 2021.
A former senior member of the royal household allegedly told Express royal correspondent Robert Jobson that:
"I understand the Queen has given the matter considerable thought and believes that, if she is still alive at 95, she will seriously consider passing the reign to Charles."
While the rules of succession dictate that the Queen must abdicate before passing the crown to her son Prince Charles, she can cease her royal duties and responsibilities if they pose a risk to her health.
In the event the Queen is too sick or weak to carry them out, a regent can be named to step in and take them on for her.
Due to the Queen's age, and bereavement following the death of her husband, she may therefore name Prince Charles as regent, in order to make a smoother transition between herself and her successor.
Buckingham Palace first announced the news of Prince Philip's death in an official statement made on Friday, April 9. It read:
"It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
"His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle."
The Duke was laid to rest in a socially distanced funeral service, consisting of 30 guests, including Her Majesty, Prince Charles himself, Prince William, Kate Middleton, and Prince Harry, at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, on Saturday, April 17.
In a later interview, Prince Charles stated that the entire Royal Family had been "deeply touched" by tributes to his late father.
Charles continued that the Duke was a "very special person who [...] above all else, would have been amazed by the reaction and the touching things that have been said about him."
