If he wishes to preserve the royal family for the next century, Prince Charles should abdicate the throne when Queen Elizabeth II passes away.

Charles’ first weakness is his enduring lack of common sense. We gained a new insight into this failing, Tuesday, when the BBC reported on the prince’s 2007 investment in a carbon trading company. The investment was fully legal, but Charles then lobbied on behalf of reforms that would benefit the company, without acknowledging his conflict of interest.