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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Rebecca Russell

Queen is 'tidying up loose family ends towards the end of her reign', says author

The Queen is well-known for her quick wit and unwavering dedication to her royal duties - but also for the way she has supported and mentored family members in their roles.

Over the years, the monarch has gained a reputation for being one of the most well-prepared figures who has already laid out iron-clad plans to ensure that the future of the Royal Family is secure and in safe hands.

These guidelines are in place so that when Her Majesty is no longer with us, the transition from her reign to Prince Charles' is as smooth as possible.

The Mirror's royal podcast, Pod Save the Queen, spoke to biographer, Andrew Morton, about his 25th book 'The Queen' and he detailed exactly what the 96-year-old monarch is planning as she enters the final years of her historic reign.

Morton explained how he believes The Queen is "tidying up" any loose family ends in her final years to make the enormous move as easy as possible.

Andrew Morton spoke about the Queen on the Mirror's royal podcast (Getty Images)

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The Queen's Platinum Jubilee was used as the opportunity to clearly demonstrate who will and who will not play a key role in the Royal Family in the years to come.

Whether it was the senior royals who took part in the Trooping the Colour parade or the unmistakable message that was sent when Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince George joined The Queen on the balcony for the finale of the jubilee, the monarch's plan to show the stability of the Royal Family was laid bare.

This plan for the future is something that royal author Andrew Morton explained to The Mirror's podcast, Pod Save the Queen.

He said: "The Queen is a very tidy person and even as a little girl she used to keep her shoes all lined up properly and wake up in the night and make sure everything was tidy, so there is a tidiness about her character.

"And you can see there is a lot of tidying up going on at the minute towards the end of the reign.

The Queen has planned her transition to Prince Charles (Getty Images)

"The biggest issue that needed to be tidied was Camilla and how she will be referred to in the future.

"The Queen has incrementally bought [Camilla's] status higher and higher. A few years ago she put her in the Privy Council so she could be there when the succession was announced.

"Then she was made a member of the Order of the Garter and finally she says that she'd like Camilla to be called Queen Consort.

"That has kind of ended the debate because when Prince Charles first married Camilla, the mood music was that she was never going to be called Queen and within a matter of years they were backtracking very quickly."

Earlier this year, an unprecedented statement was released to coincide with The Queen's Accession Day on February 6 which read: "I would like to express my thanks to you all for your support. I remain eternally grateful for, and humbled by, the loyalty and affection that you continue to give me.

"And when, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes king, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me; and it is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service."

Elsewhere in the interview, Mr Morton explained how the transition between The Queen and Prince Charles will be one of the easiest in history.

The Queen openly expressed her hopes that Camilla would be known as Queen Consort (Getty Images)

The author said: "This is going to be the smoothest transition in history, certainly at least since Queen Victoria and Edward VII.

"The Queen has asked for Prince Charles to be the Head of the Commonwealth, there have been knighthoods for those involved in the transition, there is a book on what to do when she dies and it goes on."

The Queen has been preparing for the future and training her heirs for many years. She famously invited Prince William to Windsor Castle for regular lessons when he was studying at Eton College.

Royal expert Robert Lacey previously explained to PEOPLE : “There has always been a special closeness between William and the Queen, and she has taken a particular interest in him.

“When William became a teenager, she would have him at Windsor Castle and would open the state boxes and guide him through the papers. It was William's constitutional education.”

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