As the King, Kate Middleton and Prince William postpone royal duties, how Charles' slimmed-down monarchy has left the Royal Family with just HALF the amount of working royals compared to in 2017
READ MORE: Kate is 'doing well' after 'successful' abdominal surgery say Palace sources: Princess of Wales is recovering in hospital
King Charles III and the Princess of Wales are both dealing with medical issues that will force them to delay previously planned public engagements over the coming weeks.
The news of Kate’s admission to the London Clinic for planned abdominal surgery and of Charles undergoing a ‘corrective procedure’ for an enlarged prostate next week has served to show just how threadbare royal resources are.
With Prince William also taking leave to care for his wife and children, the so-called ‘big three’ royals will be away from duties for a time.
It means with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in the US, and Prince Andrew in the cold, there is only four senior royals to call on: Queen Camilla, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and the Duchess of Edinburgh.
It’s a stark difference to previous years, when at one time the British Royal Family was made up of 18 working royals who could be called on to help with engagements. Now, just nine members of the Firm are relied upon.
The senior and minor royals working in 2017, compared to those covering royal engagements at the start of 2024
In 2017, royal engagements, such as trips abroad, Investitures and state functions were covered by 12 senior and around six minor working royals.
But this year, there is only seven senior working royals, alongside minor working members such as The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
Alongside Charles, then Prince of Wales, and Queen Camilla, then The Duchess of Cornwall and Kate and William, the senior royals in 2017 included Harry and Meghan.
The Duchess of Sussex – who along with the Duke now lives in the US with their two children after stepping back from their duties in 2020 – made her first royal appearance with her husband in Nottingham in December 2017.
While on August 2 of that year, the late Prince Philip completed his final engagement after 70 years of service as he retired from his royal duties, aged 96.
Andrew, Anne, Edward and his wife Sophie, now The Duchess of Edinburgh, also supported the late Queen Elizabeth II during that time as senior working royals.
Minor royals, meanwhile, that have helped out in previous years include Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, the daughters of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson.
In 2019, Eugenie joined the late Queen at the Royal Maundy service at Windsor Castle’s St George’s Chapel, and both the York sisters attended the King’s Coronation last year.
Charles attends a Sunday church service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham on January 7
Kate, Charlotte, George, William and Louis at the Sandringham Christmas Day 2023 service. William is taking time off to support his wife and care for their children
But it remains to be seen whether the monarch will bring the siblings further into the fold this year.
The Duke of Kent, 88, and Princess Alexandra, 87, have also both slowed down in recent years.
It’s no wonder Princess Anne warned recently against slimming down the monarchy further after Megxit and Prince Andrew’s fall from grace, declaring: ‘It doesn’t sound like a good idea from where I’m standing.’
The King is known to be in favour of a smaller and cheaper monarchy – but royal experts have long warned that the monarch’s vision of a slimmed-down Firm would likely leave the Royal Family ‘s day-to-day responsibilities ‘impossible to fulfil’.
In May 2023, days before the King’s Coronation, his sister Princess Anne, 73, insisted the British monarchy is in rude health and warned against slimming it down further.
The late Queen’s only daughter, who is the hardest working royal in terms of annual engagements, spoke in defence of the Royal Family, insisting it brings ‘long-term stability’, ‘continuity’ and ‘goodness’ to the UK and Commonwealth.
In a nod to the larger number of working royals when Meghan, Harry and Andrew were in the fold, Anne said: ‘I think that “slimmed down” was said in a day when there were a few more people to make that seem like a justifiable comment’.
When it was put to her that the world changes, Anne said: ‘It changes a bit. I mean, it doesn’t sound like a good idea from where I’m standing, I have to say. I’m not quite sure what else, you know, we can do.’
Royal experts agreed, with author Phil Dampier saying there is a shortage of working royals for at least the next decade, with any further cuts leaving them unable to fulfil daily duties.
He told MailOnline: ‘We have got a slimmed down monarchy by default because Harry and Meghan have left and Andrew is in disgrace. But there is now a real problem with most of the working royals being over seventy.
Princess Anne, stoic in her duty following the late Queen’s death in 2022, will likely step in to cover more royal duties following yesterday’s announcements about the King and Princess of Wales’ respective health issues
Reliable super sub: The Duchess of Edinburgh is a trusted member of the senior royals and is likely to take on duties to help out between now and Easter. Princess Anne could also take on additional engagements
‘It leaves just William and Kate and Edward and Sophie until their children get older. So for the next decade there is a shortage of man and woman power.
‘You could bring in the likes of Beatrice and Eugenie to do more, but Charles has always been against that, and they are associated with their parents.
‘We are going to have to accept that the days of having 1,600 patronages like the Queen and Prince Philip are probably over.’
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams also noted the ‘challenge’ for the King and said he will need to decide ‘how slimmed down he wants the monarchy to be’.
It comes after the Princess of Wales spent a second night in hospital after major abdominal surgery as William, her parents and siblings cleared their diaries to support her recovery and care for George, Charlotte and Louis.
Kate is said to be ‘doing well’ as she recovers following the procedure at the London Clinic in Marylebone revealed on the same day King Charles announced he was taking a short break for treatment for an enlarged prostate.
With Prince William also taking leave to care for his wife and children, the so-called ‘big three’ royals will be away from duties over the coming weeks with experts saying that with Harry and Meghan in the US, and Andrew in the cold, there is only Princess Anne and her brother Prince Edward to call on.
Kate is not expected to return to public events until after Easter, and her husband will combine being by his wife’s and children’s side throughout.
Any royal tours William and Kate had in the diary for the coming months will also no longer take place amid speculation they would visit Italy together in March.
Kate’s parents Carole and Michael Middleton and sibling Pippa Matthews and James Middleton are already rallying round and helping support her recovery at her home in Windsor, which is close to their own homes.
The Royal Family’s ‘big three’ are out of action because Buckingham Palace also revealed yesterday that King Charles III will attend hospital next week to be treated with a ‘corrective procedure’ for an enlarged prostate.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla, pictured at church in Sandringham on Christmas Day; it’s thought the Queen will cover any key occasions for the King while he recovers from surgery
Kensington Palace announced that the Princess of Wales has had abdominal surgery
The statement about Charles’ health released by Buckingham Palace
The two health updates on senior royals came within 90 minutes of each other, with Kensington Palace coming first at 2pm then Buckingham Palace followed at 3.30pm.
She was not rushed to hospital and her condition was not something that developed over the weekend, according to reports.
The Prince will also postpone a number of engagements as he supports his family, and will not undertake official duties while his wife is in hospital.
He will also do no official duties during the immediate period after Kate’s return home. Royal aides will provide a revised schedule for William in due course.
It is unclear what the exact nature of the surgery is, with The Palace unwilling to reveal any details in respect of Kate’s ‘medical privacy’. However it did not rule out the prospect that she may choose to speak publicly about it herself in the future.
Sun GP Dr Zoe Williams told The Sun: ‘This might be something that has been bothering her for her whole life which she has not got round to resolving, or an issue that has come to light more recently.
‘Two weeks in hospital is longer than we would normally expect, but she doesn’t have a normal life. She’s the future queen so the doctors will be erring on the side of caution.
‘We all hope it is something minor and the surgery is straightforward, but precaution is wise. With anything medical you can never be completely certain how things will go.
‘The most important thing is that she gets enough recovery time and it’s not too stressful for her and her family.’
Neither William nor Kate will travel internationally over the coming months.
Kate and Prince William pictured attending the 2023 Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey
King Charles III is pictured in a portrait taken at Windsor Castle last year
They were said to have been planning a high-profile visit to Rome this spring as part of a European charm offensive, but this is now in doubt. Another scheduled foreign military engagement could be affected.
Kate will almost certainly be forced to miss a number of high-profile events she might otherwise been expected to attend.
She and William have regularly turned up for the Baftas, the biggest night in British cinema, held in central London this month, but this would be too soon for the recovering princess.
She is also likely to miss out on a long-standing royal tradition in March – handing out shamrocks to the Irish Guards on St Patrick’s Day in her role as the regiment’s honorary colonel.
The annual Commonwealth Day Service, also held in March, is likely to have to go ahead without her. The princess, patron of English rugby, is also unlikely to be well enough to attend the Guinness Six Nations, which kicks off next month.
The Princess marked her birthday just over a week ago, with the monarchy’s official social media accounts sharing a new behind-the-scenes photo of the princess at the King’s coronation.
Kate usually enjoys good health but was previously admitted to hospital while pregnant after suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum – severe morning sickness.
A palace spokesman said: ‘Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales was admitted to The London Clinic for planned abdominal surgery.
‘The surgery was successful and it is expected that she will remain in hospital for ten to fourteen days, before returning home to continue her recovery. Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter.
‘The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate. She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible; and her wish that her personal medical information remains private.
‘Kensington Palace will, therefore, only provide updates on Her Royal Highness’ progress when there is significant new information to share.
‘The Princess of Wales wishes to apologise to all those concerned for the fact that she has to postpone her upcoming engagements. She looks forward to reinstating as many as possible, as soon as possible.’