Queen, Charles and William ‘operating together’ but ‘not equals’, says insider

The Queen has been sharing more royal duties with Prince Charles and Prince William — but remains firmly in charge, according to a royal expert.

Robert Lacey says the 95-year-old monarch has started to delegate some tasks, especially those involving foreign travel, to her son and grandson the over the course of the last year.

It comes after a number of personal health scares cropped up shortly after the sad loss of her closest confidant in Prince Philip, who died in April last year.

Mr Lacey said Her Majesty's favoured method of communication with the first and second-in-line to the throne was the telephone.

The royal historian told People Magazine: "They operate together — not as equals, because the Queen remains in charge — but William is a very active component in the way the monarchy protects itself."

Her big calls are likely to have included her announcement on the day of her Platinum Jubilee to grant Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall the title of Queen Consort upon Charles' ascension.

Historian Amanda Foreman, author of Queen Victoria's Buckingham Palace, meanwhile said that her 'taking care of business' approach of recent months was a direct result of her hospital stay and illness towards the end of last year.

She said: "When you start to think about your own mortality, there's a very strong urge to do housekeeping."

The Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge have also been said to have been in ever-closer co-operation over their royal briefs in recent times.

The pair are reportedly working on a plan to "slim down" the size of the monarchy in the future as "less people means less drama", according to a royal insider.

A source speaking to the US magazine said the pair have agreed to “guide each other” in their mission to reform the Royal Family, so that it resembles a smaller European-style institution made up of fewer members.

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