Take this with a hefty grain of salt, but Palace courtiers are out here speculating that King Charles will abdicate and hand the throne over to Prince William within the next year.
Per one senior courtier who chatted to Rob Shuter's #ShuterScoop, "The transition will look measured and dignified. Health provides the most unassailable explanation."
Another Palace insider says "Charles will not be seen as pushed. He has waited a lifetime for this role. When he steps back, it will be entirely on his terms."
There are also claims that Prince William is already functioning as King in all but title, at least based on another "longtime aide" claiming "In many ways, he’s already King unofficially. The institution is preparing emotionally, even if the paperwork hasn’t caught up."
This comes amid royal sources telling the Daily Mail that Charles allowing his disgraced brother Andrew to live on private royal property in Sandringham is a huge tarnish to his legacy, and that he's now "a lame duck."
Royal expert Maureen Callahan adds that the "The King could wait a few weeks or months before citing his continued ill health" but ultimately "Charles must give up his crown in order to save it."
Mehera Bonner is a celebrity and entertainment news writer who enjoys Bravo and Antiques Roadshow with equal enthusiasm, She was previously entertainment editor at Marie Claire and has covered pop culture for over a decade.
