King Charles is left with just two senior royals who are able to step in for him this week, should he require a counsellor of state while he undergoes prostate surgery.

Last Wednesday aides revealed an unprecedented double health scare, with the Princess of Wales having undergone successful abdominal surgery and the King set for a corrective procedure for an enlarged prostate.

The health announcements have rendered both Kate and Charles unable to carry out royal duties, with the future Queen not expected to return to work until after Easter.

Prince William has also taken time out to be by Kate’s bedside and focus on looking after their three children, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five.

This leaves just three senior working royals – known as counsellors of state – able to deputise for him: Queen Camilla, Princess Anne and Prince Edward. But this week the Duke of Edinburgh is out of action as he’s on a four-day trip to St Helena.

This means only Anne and Camilla are able to deputise for the King, and the Queen may be reluctant to in the days following her husband’s planned hospital admission.

In total there are seven royals who can act as counsellors of state, who are able to represent him or undertake his duties in the case of illness or absence abroad.

Traditionally, the law states that this includes the monarch’s spouse and the next four people in the line of succession who are over the age of 21. At the moment, these are the Queen, Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew and Princess Beatrice.

But in 2022, the King asked Parliament to add two more royals, Princess Anne and Prince Edward, to the list, due to questions over Harry and Andrew’s suitability given they are no longer senior working royals. Parliament also appeared to add a clause dictacting that Harry, Andrew and Beatrice would not be called upon to act as a counsellor of state.

During the second reading of the bill in the House of Lords on November 21, 2022 Lord True said that the royal household had confirmed that “in practice working members of the Royal Family will be called on to act as Counsellors of State.”

As Harry, Andrew and Beatrice are not working members of the Firm, the statement suggests that they would never be called upon.

But as this is guidance and the trio were never formally removed as counsellors of state, it is possible that in the event of an emergency they could be asked to step in.