Prince Charles will “never want” to pass on the burden of monarchy to Prince William, a former royal butler told GB News.
The Prince of Wales oversaw the State Opening of Parliament for the first time yesterday.
And some royal commentators have suggested that this speech could mark the unofficial start of Charles effectively acting as a Prince regent.
When asked by GB News' Colin Brazier whether the monarchy is in safe hands under Charles, Grant Harrold said: “I think it is in safe hands because, from a personal point of view, I knew him and got to know what he’s like as a person.”
Grant Harrold talking to Colin Brazier
GB News
Prince Charles stepped in for the Queen for the State opening of Parliament yesterday
Aaron Chown
“And from that basis and seeing how he is with people, what he feels about things, which a lot of those feelings are known publicly because he’s spoken about them over the years."
Mr Harrold, who worked as a butler for the Prince of Wales from 2004 to 2011, has also hit back at calls for Charles to pass the crown onto Prince William.
He added: “I feel the monarchy is in safe hands and when people say to me should he become the next King or should it pass onto his son.
“I think it should pass on directly to Prince Charles and then to his son as it should be.
“I don’t think Prince Charles would ever want to pass on the burden of monarchy to his son, when he knows it’s his responsibility to take it on first because they do see it as the job that they should take and fulfil until their death when it passes onto the next in line to the throne.”
It comes after royal expert Robert Jobson said too much pressure is being put on the Queen.
Speaking to Dan Wootton on GB News, Mr Jobson said: “The fact is the Queen has mobility issues.
"I understand her knees are playing up and her ankles are playing up.
“She’s straggling a bit with her mobility yes, but that doesn’t mean she can’t carry out engagements with the job that she does.
“I must admit I feel we are putting too much on 96-year-old women, I really do.
“You’ve got to have some humanity here, yes she’s the Queen and she said she’d reign until she dies.
“But she’s the longest serving monarch, she’s the oldest monarch we’ve ever had.
“You’ve got to remember that Queen Victoria was about 82 when she passed away, this is the realms that we’re dealing with.”