THE QUEEN DECREES WILLIAM & KANE TAKE THE THRONE

DEEP IN MOURNING, QUEEN ELIZABETH IS GEARING UP TO PASS DOWN THE CROWN — AND SHE WANTS TO BYPASS PRINCE CHARLES.

IT’S not easy being queen. And the last few years have been especially tough on Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The 95-year-old royal has had to contend with the drama surrounding Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle (deemed “Brexit” by the disapproving UK tabloids); the Covid-19 pandemic and, worst of all, the devastating loss of her husband of 73 years, Prince Philip, who died on April 9 at the age of 99. “It’s just been one thing after another,” says a Palace insider. “And Philip’s death has affected her more than anyone could imagine.” So much so, the insider says the matriarch is ready to step down after her 69-year rein.

While not unprecedented, her abdication is highly unusual — and it could get messy. According to the insider, Elizabeth is seriously considering skipping over unpopular heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles, 72, in favor of her young and beloved grandson, Prince William. “The word in her inner circle is that she’s favoring William over Charles,” the insider reveals. “She feels William is a more suitable contender, especially given his age.” As the monarchy continues to modernize, the queen feels William, 38, and wife Kate Middleton, 39, “are far more relatable to the public,” says the insider.