William & Kate: Taking the Throne? Queen Elizabeth
IN A SHOCKING PALACE TWIST, QUEEN ELIZABETH IS DITCHING PROTOCOL — AND PASSING THE THRONE TO HER GRANDSON!
is betraying her own son to make Prince William king!
It’s been a whirlwind few weeks for Prince William: visits to the children’s hospice his mom, Princess Diana, opened 30 years ago, stately speeches, statue unveilings and preparations for a three-country trip to Africa. But he’s about to have a whole lot more on his plate. Star sources report that in a shocking palace twist, William has been bumped up the line of succession and is now next to be king! A source reports that several government leaders within the Commonwealth secretly met earlier this year to plan how 92-year-old Queen Elizabeth will step down and how William will take over. But the royal shake-up comes as a major slight to the queen’s son and rightful heir, William’s father, Prince Charles. At 69, the aristocrat has been waiting a mighty long time to ascend to the throne and feels blindsided —and betrayed — by the decision. “This is a totally unprecedented move. But as the queen gets older, she’s figuring out how to keep the royal family relevant,” details the insider. “William and Duchess Kate are injecting desperately needed new life into the monarchy — and if Charles gets cast aside in the process, so be it!” ROYAL UPSET Since he was a boy, William, 36, has been mentally preparing for the crown and has navigated royal life by-thebook: a high rank in the Royal Air Force, a marriage to a proper Englishwoman, three well-behaved kids and future heirs (George, 5, Charlotte, 3, and Louis, 5 months), and steadfast years of dutiful public service. Still, the straight-arrow royal “had no idea it would happen this soon,” says a source. “He was in shock when he found out.” Unlike his cheeky younger brother, Prince Harry — who is four steps further from the crown than his big bro — William has kept his public life fiasco free. By contrast, their father Charles has faced his own memorable brushes with scandal, having sparked many a media frenzy during his years-long affair with now-wife, Camilla Parker Bowles — who the queen has only recently warmed up to after years of iciness. But it’s not just William’s royally appropriate record influencing his grandmother’s decision; it’s also the public’s widespread
approval of her beloved grandson. A 2018 study, explains a source, showed that 83 percent of the British subjects have a “favorable impression” of William, with 78 percent similarly fond of Kate. In comparison, Charles has curried only 54 percent of the public’s favor, with Camilla clocking in at a measly 31 percent. “William and Kate are extremely well liked, and people would love to see them become king and queen,” says an insider. “They’re a breath of fresh air, and nowhere near as stuffy as Charles.”
PALACE POLITICS Stuffy or not, Charles was understandably livid at the historic slight. “He’s dreamed of being king. All he can do is sob, ‘Mummy, what have you done!’” says a source. “But his duty is to do what’s best for his country. He doesn’t really have a choice.” But Camilla might be less indignant at being passed over for queen, after all. The polarizing figure — who is reportedly still detested by Charles’ father, Prince Philip — may be relieved to have some leisure time in her golden years. In fact, insiders claimed that after Charles’ final confrontation with his mother, a drunken Camilla said she’ll ditch the U.K. altogether and start a new life overseas! The outdoorsy 71-year-old — famously passionate about hunting, riding horses and gardening — admitted during a recent trip to London’s Garden Museum, “I’d be here all day, given half the chance,” adding, “Joking apart, I’d be out in my garden all day, every day, if I were allowed. I love to get my hands dirty.” If Camilla can only convince her husband of the pleasures of retirement — in exile, if need be — William and Kate’s looming coronation will go off without a hitch. Says a source: “William and Kate are honored to be making history in this way. William’s life has been leading up to the moment — and now it’s his time!”