The Queen's job description has been rewritten - but what does this mean?

Don't worry she still holds her title

The Queen has recently celebrated her Platinum Jubilee, which marked her 70-year reign.

After seven decades her role is getting a slight makeover.

The 96-year-old royal’s role has been rewritten by Buckingham Palace, and as part of the shake-up duties she “must fulfil” are being entrusted to the future King of England, Prince Charles, or can be carried out by other working members of the royal family to support the Queen.

A source from Buckingham Palace insisted the rewriting of the Queen’s duties is only a small update, and not a “drastic” change to her role. Phew!

The official duties section has been tweaked to remove specific events the British monarch must attend, such as the State Opening of Parliament, which was a “constitutional convention”.

The Queen recently skipped the latest State Opening of Parliament due to health concerns, although Prince Charles and Prince William stepped in to support her in her absence. 

The new version of the Queen’s duties puts more emphasis on the support of the royal family, and has reportedly been signed off by Sir Michael Stevens, the Keeper of the Privy Purse.

Despite the amendments made, the Queen’s role still includes being Head of State and Head of Nation.

The former title previously included a 13-point list the sovereign “must fulfil”, but this has been tweaked to a looser definition as her role now “encompasses a range of parliamentary and diplomatic duties.”

While the Queen’s second title as Head of Nation is carried out by Her Majesty “where appropriate or necessary”.  Queen Elizabeth’s role is now more focused on inspiring “unity and national identity”, as well as “continuity and stability”.

As part of her title the sovereign was assigned six key events in the royal calendar, but the State Opening has been removed, while four of the remaining duties are to be headed by the Prince of Wales.

Prince Charles is called on to undertake overseas visits as the Queen’s representative as the Queen is not expected to travel again as part of the alterations, The Telegraph has reported.

The final tweak to the Queen’s job includes swapping the “Queen’s programme” to “visits in royal programmes”, which is open to more general activities, some of which she may be supported by working royals.

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