Queen Elizabeth will not appoint the next Prime Minister in London. In a colossal break with tradition, she will welcome Britain’s new leader to her home in Balmoral. This raises questions about their health and well-being.
century tradition
Fourteen people served as Prime Ministers during Elizabeth’s reign. The incumbent was Winston Churchill and the youngest was Boris Johnson. Every single one of them was appointed in London. However, amid some current turmoil, Elizabeth is on the verge of appointing her first Prime Minister elsewhere in England.
This week the Palace announced that Elizabeth would not be making the 1,000-mile round trip from Balmoral to Buckingham Palace. Whoever appoints the Conservative party prime minister will instead travel north on September 6 to meet with Elizabeth. The reason appears to be Elizabeth’s declining health, with her mobility being a major issue.
Countless scandals brought down Boris Johnson. His office parties amid COVID-19 caused outrage across the Commonwealth. The Conservative Party will vote on his successor in September. It’s up to Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.
As far as royal responsibility goes, it doesn’t get much bigger. Elizabeth will task her 15th Prime Minister with forming a new government. It’s ceremonial, but so is everything in the royal family. Elizabeth also bucked tradition when she sent Prince Charles to the opening of Parliament this year. It’s very hard to imagine the royal family or the UK without Elizabeth at the helm, but these canceled plans show she may not be around much longer.
The Highland Games
There was another twist in the royal announcements as Elizabeth has also changed her plans to compete in the Highland Games. The Highland Games are held in Scotland every year on the first Saturday in September.
For Elizabeth’s consolation, a last-minute decision was made, although Prince Charles will still attend. It’s one thing to say that Elizabeth isn’t well enough to travel to London, but it seems that not being able to travel around Scotland doesn’t bode well for her long-term health.
The fact that Elizabeth is settling in Balmoral is another sign of her mobility issues. The Royal Family is puzzled over how to comfort the 97-year-old Queen and fulfill all her obligations. As traditional as Elizabeth has been all her life, she wouldn’t be breaking the rules now unless it was serious.
