Queen Elizabeth's Job Description Just Changed for the First Time in 10 Years—Here are Some of the Key Updates
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Queen Elizabeth is the longest serving British monarch in history; in fact, she recently celebrated 70 years on the throne in June during the United Kingdom's first Platinum Jubilee. While it's safe to say Her Majesty has a long and storied history of fulfilling her duties as Queen of England, her job description just got an update. According to a report by The Telegraph, it's the first time the monarch's responsibilities have changed in more than a decade.
Buckingham Palace recently released its annual report, which contains the details of Her Majesty's role. According to The Telegraph, the duties initially consisted of a 13-point list, including responsibilities like "paying and receiving state visits," and the "appointment of the Prime Minister." However, the updated version of the document removed several duties that the Queen must fulfill as the United Kingdom's monarch.
Now, it states that the royal's job description, "encompasses a range of parliamentary and diplomatic duties." One of the most notable changes is that instead of going on state visits, Queen Elizabeth "receives" other heads of state. Another update in the annual report, highlighted by The Telegraph, is that the "Queen's programme" of engagements has been simplified to "visits in royal programmes," since "The Queen is greatly assisted by other members of the Royal family who undertake official duties on behalf of Her Majesty." In other words, she's passing the torch—in certain contexts—to other senior royals, including Prince Charles, Prince William, and Kate Middleton.
It's speculated that the changes are due to the Queen's reported mobility issues. According to US Weekly, people close to Her Majesty have urged the monarch to prioritize her health. "The Queen has been advised by her loved ones and trusted advisors to go a lot easier on herself, even if it means missing more functions than she would like," a source told the outlet.
