Prince Harry will be "absolutely furious" by King Charles' request to Parliament for a shake-up of important royal roles, an expert has claimed.
T he monarch announced his desire to increase his pool of Counsellors of State - royals who can stand in for him on official business - to include his brother and sister, Princess Anne and Prince Edward.
Currently, the roles are taken by the four most senior adult royals in the line of succession. These are Prince William, Harry, Prince Andrew and Princess Beatrice.
This is now being extended to include Anne and Edward - although Harry, who no longer lives in the UK, and Andrew, who has stepped down from public life, retain the role.
But despite keeping the privilege, royal author and biographer Angela Levin has said that extending the number of Counsellors of State is a "slight" to Harry but is "necessary".
She told MailOnline : "Of course, it is a slight to Harry and Andrew - but there's a good reason and it's necessary.
'Harry and Meghan will be absolutely furious.
"But he lives in California, he's stopped being a working royal, so why should he [be a Counsellor of State]?
"It isn't about Harry' but instead what the King needs."
The King’s intention to increase the number of Counsellors of State was announced in a signed message read to the House of Lords yesterday by the Lord Chamberlain, Lord Parker of Minsmere, who is the most senior official in the royal household.
Charles said the aim of the increase was to “ensure continued efficiency of public business when I am unavailable”.
Speaking at the despatch box in the upper chamber, Lord Parker said he had the honour to present a message from the King "signed by his own hand".
The independent crossbencher told peers: "The message is as follows: ‘To ensure continued efficiency of public business when I am unavailable such as while I am undertaking official duties overseas, I confirm that I would be most content, should Parliament see fit, for the number of people who may be called upon to act as Counsellors of State under the terms of the Regency Acts 1937 to 1953 to be increased to include my sister and brother – the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex and Forfar – both of whom have previously undertaken this role'."
There were approving shouts of “hear, hear” from the red benches at the end of the King’s message being read out.
It is thought any changes to legislation to increase the number of counsellors would be completed later this year before the prospect of the King and Queen Consort going on overseas tours in 2023, which may coincide with the Prince and Princess of Wales also being out of the country.
Counsellors of State are authorised to carry out most of the official duties of the Sovereign like attending Privy Council meetings, signing routine documents and receiving the credentials of new ambassadors to the UK.
But certain core constitutional functions cannot be delegated, like appointing a prime minister or creating peers.
