Buckingham Palace stated that the 96-year-old monarch had passed away peacefully at Balmoral.
Charles, the eldest son of the Queen, rose to the throne automatically. As previously revealed by Insider, Charles would be coronated roughly a year following her passing.
After King George’s death in 1952, the royal family has not had a new monarch in seven decades, as the Queen has been in charge since then.
As previously reported by Insider, Charles has been preparing to be King for some time, assuming increased responsibilities as his mother has aged.
During his reign, the new king intends to adapt the monarchy to the modern world.
Charles plans to reduce the size of the monarchy, according to sources.
The Telegraph and Tatler stated in April 2021 that, upon ascending the throne, Charles intended to “thin down” the monarchy.
At the time of writing, the royal family website includes 22 high-ranking members of the royal family in the line of succession.
As previously reported by Mikhaila Friel of Insider, the King aims to reduce the number of senior royal family members to as low as seven individuals.
The next King intends to scale back the monarchy.
The King may choose to reduce the size of the monarchy for a variety of reasons, according to The Times.
According to the journal, a smaller group of senior royals would save the monarchy money since fewer persons would be financed by the sovereign grant, the public monies that support the working royals.
Individual royal houses “are left to operate in their ‘own silos’ irrespective of the institution’s impact,” according to The Times.
By reducing the size of the monarchy, the institution would have better control over the public messages sent on behalf of the royal family.
Kinsey Schofield, a royal commentator, told Insider that the streamlined monarchy will likely consist of the King, Camilla, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and Anne, Princess Royal.
There will be a lower number of senior royal family members.
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“While all of these individuals will represent the crown in the future, I believe Charles will seek to highlight himself, Camilla, and the Cambridge family as the future of the monarchy,” Schofield told Insider.
On the occasion of her platinum jubilee, the Queen revealed that she intended the Duchess of Cornwall to be known as Queen Consort upon her husband’s accession to the throne.
According to Richard Palmer, a royal correspondent for the Daily Express, Charles has stated he will obey the Queen’s wishes.
Reportedly, the King also intends to reduce the size of Buckingham Palace.
Kate Mansey of the Mail on Sunday was informed by an unidentified source in October 2021 that, once he ascends to the throne, the King intends to decrease the Buckingham Palace royal residence from 52 rooms to a single apartment.
According to the source, the apartment will be a considerably more humble flat above a shop, similar to that of the prime minister in Downing Street.
At Buckingham Palace, the King and Camilla will have a little home.
They said that the King desires to modify the purpose of all royal palaces so that they “provide something to the public beyond simply being a place for royal family members to live.”
However, the source also noted that it is essential for the monarchy to keep some living space in these mansions, as they can become tourist attractions rather than homes when they are not occupied, as was the case with Hampton Court Palace, where King Henry VIII previously resided.
Another insider informed the Mail on Sunday that the King is contemplating converting Balmoral, where the Queen spent her summers, into a museum in her honor following her passing.