What will happen if King Charles abdicates the throne? Report

While abdication seems unlikely given King Charles III's pledge to serve as monarch, experts Marlene Koenig and Dr. Bob Morris from UCL explored the implications if it occurred.

There could be two scenarios in which Charles would step down as the King, if he became physically incapacitated, or if he abdicated the throne.

In the first scenario, under the Regency Act, the next in line to the throne, Prince William, would become regent and have all the powers of the king except a few.

When it comes to abdication, Charles could not simply step down by himself - Parliament would need to pass an Act of Abdication to officially change the line of succession.

"He can't just say, 'OK, here it's yours, William.' Nope. The succession to the throne is legislated by parliament," Koenig noted to Insider.

If abdication did happen, every member of the line of succession would move up. Prince William would become King with sudden new responsibilities. His son Prince George, only 9 years old, would inherit the vast Duchy of Cornwall portfolio valued at $1 billion.

"If you abdicate, then you have a minor Duke of Cornwall who would be like Prince Charles was in the early years of his mother's reign," remarked Koenig.

Royal historian Marlene Koenig noted the pressure this would put on William, who has had just a fraction of the decades of experience Charles gained in preparation.

Meanwhile, Dr. Bob Morris explained why abdication remains frowned upon in Britain. "Our own monarchs have to be members of a particular religion and they feel that they made a religious vow and that they should stick with it," he said.

However, experts believe King Charles is committed to his mother's lifetime of duty.

"As the Queen herself did with such unswerving devotion, I too now solemnly pledge myself, throughout the remaining time God grants me, to uphold the constitutional principles at the heart of our nation," Charles said in his first speech as King of the United Kingdom.