Queen Elizabeth II could be handing the keys to Buckingham Palace over to Prince Charles within the next few years.
The 93-year-old monarch has been seriously considering leaving the throne at age 95 to pass it down to her son. Elizabeth has been the head of the British royal family since 1952 when she assumed the throne at 28.
A former senior member of the royal household revealed that the queen has a drawn-out plan for her retirement.
”Her Majesty is mindful of her age and wants to make sure when the time comes, the transition of the Crown is seamless,” the former official said. “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.”
The queen would have to abdicate the throne to Charles, 71, if she were to retire. If her health were to fail before then, Charles would fill her shoes until her death, but would not change his title until the queen died.
Elizabeth has scaled back her official duties in recent years, allowing Charles to fill in. She has, however, remained the dominant figure in the royal family.
She recently canceled the birthday party of her other son, Prince Andrew, after he became embroiled in the sex trafficking scandal of financier Jeffrey Epstein. The Duke of York denied any involvement in Epstein’s crimes, but the palace has asked him to distance himself and avoid public appearances in the wake of the scandal.
