Right here’s what would occur if Queen Elizabeth have been too ailing to hold out her duties.

After the information of Queen Elizabeth’s optimistic coronavirus check on Sunday, individuals expressed concern in regards to the well being of the extraordinarily widespread sovereign, in addition to about the way forward for the monarchy, which has been combating scandals main and minor.

In response to Buckingham Palace, if the queen must droop her official duties due to sickness or as a result of she is overseas, two or extra counselors of state can act on her behalf.

These counselors embrace the sovereign’s partner — which doesn’t apply to the queen, as her husband, Prince Philip, died last year — and the following 4 individuals within the line of succession, who’re appointed after they flip 21. The 4 counselors are at present Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, Prince William and Prince Harry.

However royal consultants say that amongst them, solely Prince Charles and Prince William have been more likely to take up some duties.

Prince Andrew was stripped of public duties and military titles after a lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault was allowed to proceed. He has since settled.

Peter Hunt, a proper royal correspondent for the BBC, wrote on Twitter that the “public received’t abdomen Prince Andrew stepping up.”

And Prince Harry just isn’t in Britain, having moved his household to California.

Victoria Howard, a royal skilled and the founding father of the information web site The Crown Chronicles, mentioned that Harry “is having his personal problem,” together with his and his household’s safety. “I believe he wouldn’t come again,” she mentioned.

This previous week, London’s Metropolitan Police announced an investigation right into a charity led by Prince Charles. He has denied any information of the alleged crimes and Ms. Howard mentioned that except the police found any consciousness or crime, the investigation wouldn’t hamper his capacity to carry out royal duties.

After the announcement of the queen’s an infection, Buckingham Palace issued a sequence of reassurances about her well being and skill to work. The palace mentioned in a press release that she was experiencing solely gentle signs and was going to “proceed mild duties.” Shortly after the announcement of the optimistic check, the palace said that the queen had sent a congratulatory message to the British curling teams, after the ladies’s workforce secured a gold medal and the boys took silver on the Winter Olympics in Beijing.

Regardless of the encouraging indicators, the coronavirus an infection added new issues in regards to the well being of the queen, who’s 95 and not too long ago celebrated the seventieth anniversary of her accession to the throne.

Appearing with a cane this week, she joked with visitors about her impeded movement.

Robert Jobson, a royal biographer, mentioned he was assured that no substitute could be obligatory for the queen as a result of Buckingham Palace mentioned she had solely gentle signs. If her state of affairs have been critical, he mentioned, “they’d have simply mentioned she had contracted Covid.”

However he added that given her age, some worries remained.

“If any 95-year-old, almost 96, contracts Covid,” Mr. Jobson mentioned, “it’s a reason behind some concern.”