CHARLES: I WANT TO OPEN PARLIAMENT

PRINCE Charles has pleaded with the Queen to be allowed to take over her duties at the State Opening of Parliament.

The request by the heir to the throne, who will be 55 later this year, is his latest bid to find a proper role for himself.

His aides believed that taking on the ancient ritual at the Palace of Westminster, held every November, would raise Charles's profile and give him new purpose.

The Prince has privately expressed exasperation at his lack of involvement in matters of State.

But in discussions with staff at Buckingham Palace, Charles' representatives had the suggestion rebuffed by his 77-year-old mother.

The Duke of Edinburgh is thought to have insisted that the ceremony was too important a task for Charles. Prince Philip, who vehemently opposes any talk of abdication, believes it would send out the wrong message.

Last night a royal source revealed: "St James's Palace felt that the State Opening is a historic occasion which the Queen could hand over to Charles. He is perfectly entitled to perform such a function and it would lighten the load on her if he did.

"He already does some investitures for the Queen but this would be a new departure. It would be a powerful and potent symbol of a new role.

"The matter has been raised between the two palaces. But the Queen doesn't want to relinquish one of the grandest occasions in her calendar.

"Prince Philip was adamant that the monarch, and not their eldest child, should retain the responsibility. He is a stickler for tradition. Charles has been left disappointed by the outcome."

It is the latest blow in Charles's continuing campaign for greater recognition. He has increasingly found himself isolated from those he wishes to influence.

In the wake of the deaths of the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, he seized the role of spokesman, appearing in a TV address to speak of his family's grief. But during the Iraq War he found himself sidelined and he was not allowed to comment on the war.

He was also prohibited from flying to the Gulf to lend his support to British troops.

His frustration has been compounded by the Queen's apparent unwillingness to abdicate, or give up much power. It is widely expected in royal circles that given good health, she will reign beyond her Diamond Jubilee in 2012, when Charles will be 64.

Charles has also found that his access to the corridors of power has diminished. A once-blossoming relationship with Tony Blair has grown increasingly distant and the two rarely talk these days.

Instead he now fires off letters to Ministers, some of whom have expressed their dislike at being taken to task by the king-in- waiting.

Royal observer Hugo Vickers said: "In theory the heir to the throne can stand in for the monarch but it almost never happens. It's not something done in order to give the Prince of Wales something to do."

Last night a senior royal aide said: "Charles is anxious to take some of the pressure off his mother. He is also tired of his long apprenticeship and wants to get started."

But the suggestion he should take over the State Opening was "going a bit too far."

"One possibility is that they could expand Charles' duties and he become more involved with the Commonwealth.

"He could act as a quasi-diplomat, rather like Prince Andrew does for trade."

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