Following the accession of King Charles in September 2022, a number of changes that come with a new reign were automatically enacted - including one which affected Queen Camilla and Princess Beatrice.
This move saw the pair both added to the list of Counsellors of State - meaning they can step in for the King if he is abroad, ill or becomes otherwise incapacitated and hold the powers of the sovereign in an emergency.
As well as the Queen and Princess Beatrice, the others who can step up are: The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Sussex, The Duke of York, The Duke of Edinburgh and The Princess Royal.
The Royal Family website explains: "By law, Counsellors of State include the Sovereign's spouse and the next four people in the line of succession who are over the age of 21.
"Counsellors of State are authorised to carry out most of the official duties of the Sovereign, for example, attending Privy Council meetings, signing routine documents and receiving the credentials of new ambassadors to the United Kingdom."
While Camilla could lose her role if she outlives King Charles, there is a precedent for her holding the position for life as the Regency Act 1953 made the Queen Mother a Counsellor of State, despite no longer being the wife of a sovereign.
Princess Beatrice, on the other hand, will likely lose her role when Prince George turns 21 as he will replace her as one of the four people of age in the Line of Succession.
King Charles introduced a change to the Counsellors of State early on in his reign when he added his siblings, Prince Edward and Princess Anne, to the list - meaning there would likely never be a time where Prince Andrew or Prince Harry were needed to step in.
In the statement to the House of Lords, the King wrote: "To ensure continued efficiency of public business when I'm unavailable, such as while I'm undertaking official duties overseas, I confirm that I would be most content should Parliament see fit for the number of people who can be called upon to act as Counsellors of State under the terms of the Regency acts 1937 to 1963 to be increased to include my sister and brother, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex and Forfar. Both of whom have previously undertaken this role."
Unless she is added before in a further shift in the rules, The Princess of Wales will join the ranks as a Counsellor of State when Prince William accedes to the throne.
Just like their elder brother, when Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis both turn 21, they will become eligible to join the list - meaning that a major reshuffle will be seen to those who have been held the position for many years.
