How expert warned monarchy could 'collapse' under charles

CAMILLA SHAKES HANDS WITH FANS DURING NEW ZEALAND VISIT Queen Elizabeth II has reigned for 67 years so far, and in that record-breaking time has become well-known for remaining politically

neutral. Prince Charles has been steadily been taking over more and more duties on behalf of Her Majesty, and is currently on royal tour in New Zealand, after the Queen stopped making

long-haul journeys in 2015. Many royal watchers have noticed some signs of the reins of power being handed over, with the Prince of Wales laying the Remembrance Wreath at the Cenotaph this

month, and accompanying Her Majesty during the Queen’s Speech in Parliament in October.  RELATED ARTICLES However, looking to the future, some politicians and constitutional experts have

voiced concern over how Charles’ actions may imperil the position of neutrality his mother has worked so hard to maintain.  Constitutional law expert Robert Blackburn, in his 2006 book “King

and Country: Monarchy and the Future King Charles III” looked into the way that Charles has “expressed strong views on politics affairs”, unlike his mother.  Professor Blackburn writes: “Of

real constitutional significance was the fact that in 2005-6, it was acknowledged at the highest levels that the future King did take a stand on certain political matters and actively

lobbied the government to try to achieve his aims.   “The event as a whole, therefore, evoked controversy and a serious question on the constitutional legitimacy of the future King Charles’

interventions in politics and government, something that had never come close to being an issue in the case of the Queen.”  Prince Charles; Queen Elizabeth II (Image: Getty) The Queen,

Prince Charles and Camilla in Parliament last month (Image: Getty) The late Paul Flynn MP, who was a Labour backbencher at the time, said in The Times: “His actions are suicidal.  “The only

reason why the monarchy and the Queen are successful is that she has kept out of all political decisions, and the only way it can continue to survive as an institution is if the monarchy is

seen to be above politics.  “If he is going to find it irresistible to interfere in politics – sometimes on the side of sense, sometimes on the side of nonsense – then the monarchy would be

in grave peril with him as head of state.  “It would collapse.”  READ MORE: CAMILLA HEARTBREAK: FAMILY'S FEARS ABOUT CHARLES TAKING THRONE  Prince Charles laying the wreath at the

Cenotaph this Remembrance Sunday (Image: Getty) RELATED ARTICLES Liberal Democrat Paul Holmes MP added: “Either the monarch is the neutral head of state that the armed forces can swear to,

or they are politically active.  “If they are politically active, they can’t be the monarchy.  “If he is trying to exploit his position as a future monarch then that’s unacceptable.” 

However, Conservative MP Oliver Heald, shadow Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs at the time, commented: “Our party is very supportive of the Prince. Certainly, every time I talk

to former ministers who were approached by him, they all welcomed his comments.”   DON'T MISS Sarah Ferguson's heartbreaking Prince Charles confession [REVEALED] Camilla

heartbreak: Why Duchess 'dreads' becoming Queen [EXPERT] WHY PRINCE CHARLES ‘SHOULD HAVE PUT THE GREATER GOOD BEFORE CAMILLA' [INSIGHT] The Prince of Wales and Duchess of

Cornwall are currently in New Zealand (Image: Getty) MPs Paul Holmes, right, and the late Paul Flynn voiced concern about Charles' role (Image: Getty) Although Her Majesty has

maintained strict political neutrality for the most part during her reign, the monarch has been associated with some constitutional rows in the past.  Her Majesty acted on controversial

advice from her ministers in 1963, which resulted in the Queen in effect choosing the new Prime Minister without the process of a leadership election.  The Queen’s position was also called

into question during a political crisis in Australia in 1975.  Her representative in the country, Australia’s Governor-General Sir John Kerr, stepped in to dismiss the incumbent Prime

Minister and appoint a new interim PM in an episode that became known as the Dismissal.  QUEEN IS ALLOWING CHARLES TO ‘TAKE OVER’ SAYS ROYAL EXPERT The outrage the Australian public felt

over the Governor-General’s actions went on to spur the Republican movement in the country.    However, Prince Charles, who was once tipped to be a Governor-General of Australia himself in

the Seventies, reportedly wrote letters encouraging Kerr in his course of action.  Historian Jenny Hocking unearthed a 1975 letter from the Prince of Wales to Kerr, which she detailed in her

book “The Dismissal Dossier”.  Writing in 2015, Ms Hocking said: “By entering into this communication with Kerr over his own position, and agreeing even to consider a means of delaying it,

the Palace had interposed itself directly into matters of Australian politics.”