Prince William will not be king yet; Queen Elizabeth II is not stepping down or slowing down

(Reuters)

Wednesday was one for the record books as Queen Elizabeth II became Britain's longest-reigning monarch. The Queen saw remarkable changes happen to Britain during her reign and has been described as someone who has led the monarchy with grace and decency. But her achievement has also led to the inevitable rumblings of who will be the next to sit on the throne – her son, Prince Charles, or his heir, Prince William.

Amid the ongoing celebrations, rumors started swirling that Queen Elizabeth will be stepping down next year and will be passing the crown to her grandson, Prince William. However, those rumors were allegedly quashed by a representative of Buckingham Palace.

Several online news sites have reported that the 89-year-old Royal decided to pass the crown to her grandson because William and Kate were "more beloved" by the people and they would keep "the royal family relevant and vital."

The news was said to have stunned Prince Charles, who have been first-in-line to the throne since he was a toddler. A palace source said the 66-year-old Prince was angered by the news but eventually realized that the Queen's decision was practical and has since accepted it.

However, the rumors appear to be just that – rumors. According to a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace, the Queen has no plans of either stepping down from her throne or slowing down. As a matter of fact, it was "business as usual" for the Queen last Wednesday as she went about on her duties.

It was true for her family as well as they went about their royal duties. Prince William's wife, Kate, is still on maternity leave but will reportedly return to her royal duties starting on Sept. 17. This is her second maternity leave and it's far longer than when she gave birth to Prince George in 2013. During that time, the duchess resumed her royal work two months after having the prince. But she opted to take a longer break this time around.

According to an insider, Kate felt she went back to work too soon with George, and now wants to spend more time with her children.

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