EXCLUSIVE: Charles 'to rule at 65’ as Queen 'steps aside'

The Queen, now 82, has apparently said she is willing to stand aside when she reaches 87 and allow Charles to take over.

Senior courtiers were openly discussing the arrangement at a private function to toast Charles’s 60th birthday last week.

The fact that the issue was being discussed in such a way will come as a bombshell to monarchists, who always believed the Queen would never abdicate even though Charles has been the longest-serving Prince of Wales ever.

Yet historians say it would be a simple process and would not create a constitutional crisis – all that would be required would be an Act of Parliament.

The Sunday Express has learned that the Queen has made it known to Charles that she would be prepared to allow him to become King.

Although she is in robust good health and  able to carry out a full schedule of engagements, she recognises that in five years this may not be the case, and by then  Prince Philip will be 92.

The discussions came at the end of an extraordinary week in which the Queen went out of her way to praise Charles.

During a visit to the Prince’s Trust headquarters, she said her son had given “enduring inspiration” to the organisation. But courtiers say the key sentence in her speech went largely unnoticed although it was highly significant.

The Queen said: “For Prince Philip and me there can be no greater pleasure or comfort than to know that into his care are safely entrusted the guiding principles of public service and duty to others.”

Royal experts said she had gone out of her way to endorse Charles while also signalling that the monarchy was safe in his hands.

Five years before she became Queen on the death of her father, George VI, in 1952, she had promised as heir to the throne that she would serve “whether it be long or short”.

During 56 years and 230 days of tireless work, she has always made it clear privately that she had no wish to abdicate. But, according to Palace sources, her views have changed in recent times.

Constitutional experts assured the Sunday Express that the process of abdication would not be complicated.

Dr Stephen Cretney QC, Emeritus Fellow in Legal History at Oxford University, said: “When Edward VIII abdicated in 1936, Parliament passed the Act in a day. There is no reason to suppose the same thing could not happen in this case.”

But he added: “Some Commonwealth countries may have to also give their assent. It may be that Australia would also require a referendum.”

Respected royal author Hugo Vickers, however, was sceptical about courtiers openly suggesting the Queen will stand down.

He said: “The Queen made a promise in 1947 and she has always let it be known she will not abdicate.

“She was most displeased when Queen Juliana of the Netherlands abdicated in 1980, telling those close to her that abdication was wrong. Having said that, I can’t see anyone wanting the Queen to reign at 100.

“There is no reason, however, why Prince Charles cannot adopt more kingly duties without wearing the crown.”

Last night a Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “The Queen has always made it clear that she will not step down and that hasn’t changed.”