PRINCE Charles is effectively ruling the country on behalf of the Queen as regent, a former minister and Royal author has claimed.
But ex Lib Dem MP Norman Baker warned that goodwill towards the Queen will not necessarily transfer to Charles.
And, in an interview with GB News, Mr Baker also likened Harry and Meghan to John Lennon and Yoko Ono.
He told GB News: “Clearly the Queen is not very well and suffering I think from post-Covid symptoms, she is 95, 96 on Thursday this week: That’s a very severe age.
“It’s not surprising she can’t do what she used to do but we have in fact now got a regency in all but name.
“The queen is doing very little in terms of public engagements, we’re talking about light duties.
“I understand in fact that those light duties are very light indeed, and I don’t think she’s been out really, apart from on one occasion, since October.”
He made his comments during an interview during Breakfast on GB News this morning.
He added: “What’s happening is effectively that we now have Prince Charles and Prince William stepping up and undertaking the Queen’s duties and that’s where we’re at.”
Asked why Charles has not been officially appointed as regent, he said: “It’s a complicated matter making someone regent and I don’t think that would be something that the Queen would personally favour.
“She took an oath to serve our country through thick and thin as it were and I think she will see it as reneging on that promise – there’s no need to go down that particular route.
“We have an arrangement where the Queen is still head of state and other members of our family are stepping up to fill the gap and undertake works which she wouldn’t have done before.
“When it comes to the future eventually we’ll see more of Prince Charles and Prince William and less of the Queen for the time being.”
Mr Baker added: “We’ve seen a lot of damage to the royal family in recent times. We’ve seen the old Prince Andrew saga, which I think you’ve done an immense damage to the reputation of the royal family.
“We’ve seen Harry and Megan, who are effectively semi-detached people like John and Yoko over in America, and William and Kate are seen as a safe option.
“It is a risky time for the royal family. There’s tremendous respect for the queen personally from all sections of society, including those who are Republican minded on a personal basis isn’t she doesn’t have a best
“That loyalty and respect doesn’t have a free transfer to Prince Charles, who comes with baggage to the throne.
“At the moment he’s being investigated, him and his foundation, by the police as a consequence, actually of my reference to the police for the allegation that his foundation has been involved in selling honours contrary to the 1925 Honours Act.”
