Prince Charles Takes Over Queen Elizabeth II’s Role At Buckingham Palace Event

Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla Parker-Bowles, recently took over Queen Elizabeth II’s role of honoring the representatives from the University of Aberdeen.

On Thursday, The Queen’s Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education was held, but the 91-year-old monarch was nowhere in sight. The bi-annual prize celebrates the work and achievement of 21 universities and colleges in the United Kingdom and in any subject area or field.

Photos of Prince Charles talking to some of the awardees have surfaced online. In some snaps, his wife is also photographed talking to some recipients of the prestigious award.

The Queen’s Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education was first set up in 1990, and it is currently being supported by the Royal Anniversary Trust. Even though the event is primarily centered on the queen, she was not around during the ceremony, and this is not the first time that this happened.

In recent months, Queen Elizabeth II has passed on some of her responsibilities to her eldest son Prince Charles. Last year, the queen did not lay a wreath at the Cenotaph during the Remembrance Sunday Service. In 1983, Prince Charles also laid a wreath on the Cenotaph while Queen Elizabeth II was in Kenya.

Meanwhile, the queen also sparked speculations that she will soon be retiring from her post. Her husband, Prince Philip, previously expressed his desire to take on lesser responsibilities since he is already 96 years old.

In her Christmas Day speech, the queen said, “Even Prince Philip has decided it’s time to slow down a little – having, as he economically put it, ‘done his bit.’” At that time, the queen did not say exactly when she will retire, but she is not getting any younger.

In fact, rumors about who will take over her place after she passes away have been ripe in recent weeks. Some people believe that Prince William will become king, but others are convinced that the throne will be first passed on to Prince Charles – regardless of his age.