Prince Charles, Camilla Present Queen's Anniversary Prizes; Duke Taking Over Mother's Duties?

Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles recently represented Queen Elizabeth II at the Queen's Anniversary Prizes ceremony.

The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall presented the prizes for Queen's Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education at Buckingham Palace. The event celebrates the work and achievement of 21 universities in the U.K. that demonstrates innovation and delivers benefit to the people, society and economy.

According to the Clarence House spokesman, Prince Charles is reviewing the charities in his line-up as he takes on more workload from the monarch. This is to ensure that the charities are still operating at its best.

"The approach of the Prince's 70th birthday provided a sensible opportunity to review his charities to ensure that they continue to deliver the maximum benefit for those people they were set up to help," the spokesperson said.

"The review was also designed to ensure the Prince's involvement was at the right level and had the right focus," the spokesperson continued. "This will ensure that the charities become sustainable with less necessity for the engagement of HRH on a day-to-day basis, and will contribute in building a lasting legacy of his philanthropic work."

Queen Elizabeth II, who is turning 92 years old in April, is cutting back her royal duties and is putting her sons Prince Charles and Prince Andrew in charge in most of the engagements. Royal correspondent Richard Palmer notes that Queen Elizabeth II reduces her workload by about 11 percent in 2017.

The royal family has a busy start of the year. They already completed 482 duties and it was expected to be at least 507 by the end of February. Prince Charles has already completed 75 engagements in the UK while Prince Edward has finished 67, including his trip to Sri Lanka and India.

In related news, many are rooting for Prince Charles to succeed Queen Elizabeth II as the Commonwealth Head. The Prince of Wales is the next in line to the throne, but the title to be the next Commonwealth Head will not be automatically given to him. However, many want the Duke for the job.

The former Prime Ministers of Canada and New Zealand, Stephen Harper and John Key, are rooting for Camilla's husband. Queen Elizabeth also wants her son for the position.

In 2015, Queen Elizabeth II made a speech in Malta and said that she could not "wish to have been better supported and represented in the Commonwealth than by The Prince of Wales who continues to give so much to it with great distinction."