Reports indicate that King Charles may postpone some engagements during his recovery but will maintain a business-as-usual approach to state affairs. Kensington Palace also shared that the Princess of Wales underwent abdominal surgery and will be in recovery for up to 14 days. Prince William has postponed some engagements to be with her and support their three children.
In the absence of the Prince and Princess of Wales, concerns arose about who would manage the workload. Royal biographer Marlene Koenig expressed confidence that King Charles will handle the situation well, both before and after his medical procedure. She explained that, by law, councilors of State represent or undertake duties for the monarch during illness or absence. The current councilors include Queen Camilla, Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew, and Princess Beatrice.
In 2022, King Charles proposed adding Princess Anne and Prince Edward as additional councilors of State. Koenig noted that while Queen Camilla and Prince William are logical choices, Prince Harry should be automatically removed due to his non-residency in the UK. She argued that Harry lost his UK domicile when he relinquished Frogmore Cottage, and his replacement should be Eugenie. King Charles's 2022 proposal was seen as a way to avoid involving Prince Harry or Prince Andrew in the role of councilors of State.
