Would Anyone In The Royal Circle Be Willing To Tell Queen Elizabeth To Step Down?

Concern for Queen Elizabeth's health has risen since the events surrounding her hospitalization at King Edward VII's Hospital on October 20. Reports have since surfaced that the passionate equestrian has not been horseback riding since early September due to "discomfort," per People, and even missed Sunday church service on October 24, as noted by the Daily Beast. Moreover, the outlet reported Elizabeth has not walked her prized Corgis since her hospitalization. 

Prior to her hospitalization, Elizabeth was spotted walking with a cane — something she hasn't publicly used in 17 years, Vanity Fair noted. Pus, People reported that she canceled a scheduled trip to Northern Ireland to celebrate the nation's 100th anniversary. While she's on the mend from her hospital stay, it would seem the monarch's work has been impacted by it already. Despite the Daily Beast reporting that her aides initially confirmed on the morning of October 26 that Elizabeth would deliver her keynote address at the Cop26 climate summit on November 1, the palace issued an official communiqué mere hours later that Elizabeth would not attend in-person as scheduled. According to Roya Nikkhah, an editor for The Sunday Times', tweet, the statement informed that Elizabeth would relegate to delivering her speech "to the assembled delegates via a recorded video message." 

Given the chain of events from September through October, this leaves some wondering if anyone within Elizabeth's inner circle will bring up the subject of abdication.

Despite the missed horse and dog escapades and virtually hosted events, Queen Elizabeth is unlikely to abdicate her throne or her duties — nor is anyone close to her going to make such a request, per the Daily Beast. This is despite The Sunday Times royal editor Roya Nikkhah telling U.K.'s Radio 4 program "Today" (via Daily Beast) that she suspected "a reassessment" and "a slight gear change" for the nature of the queen's work, especially her travel plans. "I think there will be a constant review going forwards now," Nikkhah opined.

However, as Prince Charles' biographer Penny Junor told the Daily Beast, abdication is an entirely different matter than slowing down. "That's a very difficult conversation to have," Junior said. "It's doubtful if there is anyone who could have that conversation with her without her replying, 'Nonsense.'" Per the outlet, her private secretary, Edward Young, is unlikely to bring it up, as he is nowhere as close to Elizabeth as predecessor Christopher Geidt. As for Charles himself, who is next in line for the crown, he knows his mom's aversion to abdication given her family's history with Edward VIII (who gave up the throne to marry Wallis Simpson). As Junor told the Daily Beast, "She grew up believing it to be the absolute bogey man."

However, Junor suggested, "The time maybe has come for Charles to be given more of a role."