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By James Crawford-Smith
Royal Reporter
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Since 2017, the British monarchy has faced increasing manpower issues as senior royals have either died, stepped down from their roles within the monarchy, or, as in more recent weeks, been forced to take time out due to illness.
First came the retirement of Prince Philip in 2017, then the stripping of Prince Andrew's public roles in 2019. This was followed by Prince Harry and Meghan's exit and move to America in 2020 and Queen Elizabeth II's death two years later.
Now, King Charles III and the Princess of Wales are taking breaks—Charles to undergo cancer treatment and Kate to recover from abdominal surgery she had in January.
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Though the long list of working royals may have shrunk, the number of duties that need to be fulfilled has not, leaving an increasing amount of pressure on those left on the roster. Only one of them is under the age of 59.
Now is a time when the minor royals are facing their own call out of the velvet-lined shadows and into the public spotlight. But who are they?
Here, Newsweek looks at which royals have stepped back from royal duties—whether temporarily or permanently—and which are left manning the fort.
Off Duty
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King Charles III, 75
On February 5, it was announced from Buckingham Palace that King Charles III had been diagnosed with cancer following a recent procedure for an enlarged prostate.
The palace said the king was undergoing treatment for the condition; however, while noting that he was still performing state business, they announced that he would not be making his regularly scheduled public appearances.
"His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties," the palace said. "Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual.
"The King is grateful to his medical team for their swift intervention, which was made possible thanks to his recent hospital procedure. He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible."
The Princess of Wales, 42
On January 17, Kensington Palace announced that Kate had undergone successful "planned abdominal surgery" a day earlier and would not be making any public appearances until at least after Easter (March 31).
Though reports suggested she was still undertaking desk work, there have been no statements from the princess herself or photographs of her in the intervening period.
The first months of the year are traditionally some of Kate's busiest, with multiple engagements and some overseas travel believed to have been postponed while she recuperates.
Queen Camilla, 76
With King Charles and Kate out of action, Queen Camilla has been picking up a number of official engagements. However, she is reportedly taking a week's vacation with an empty diary to recharge her batteries.
She will return to work on March 11, where she will lead the royal attendees at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, 39 & 42
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left their roles as working royals in 2020 as part of their move to become financially independent from the monarchy.
The couple conducted their last official duty at the Commonwealth Day service in London on March 9, 2020.
Prince Andrew, 64
Prince Andrew stepped down from his working role within the monarchy in 2019 following a car crash television interview after failing to adequately justify maintaining a friendship with billionaire Jeffrey Epstein following his conviction of sex offenses in 2008.
Andrew was officially stripped of his military roles and patronages in 2022 after being sued for sexual assault by Virginia Giuffre a year earlier. The prince continues to deny all allegations, and a lawsuit with Giuffre was settled out of court.
On Duty
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Prince William, 41
Prince William is the most senior member of the royal family now working during the king's absence, and even then, he has been undertaking a reduced schedule while his wife, Kate, recovers from surgery.
William attended the BAFTA awards solo last month and undertook engagements relating to the humanitarian efforts and human impact of the war in the Middle East. The prince also marked St. David's Day in Wales on March 1.
William is one of only three royals who currently conduct investitures, the ceremonies where members of the public are awarded honors. The other two are King Charles and Princess Anne.
Princess Anne, 73
Princess Anne is the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip and the closest sibling in age to King Charles III.
Anne has undertaken a full diary of official engagements since she was a teenager and regularly tops the chart of hardest-working royals.
The princess continues to undertake her diary of engagements despite the medical issues faced by royal family members. In addition to domestic events, she has visited Sri Lanka, Gibraltar, Namibia and Dubai so far this year.
The princess' husband, Sir Tim Laurance, is not considered a working member of the royal family, though he regularly accompanies his wife on her tours and visits.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, 59 & 59
Prince Edward is the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II and, since 1999, has undertaken official royal work alongside his wife, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh.
The Duke and Duchess are patrons of over 70 charities and are regular fixtures on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Colour each June.
The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, 74 & 77
Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester, and his Danish-born wife, Birgitte, are extended members of the royal family as cousins to King Charles III.
Prince Richard and Charles are both descended from King George V and, alongside his wife, the prince has undertaken full-time royal work for the monarchy since 1974.
The Duke of Kent, 88
Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, is another cousin of King Charles, descended from King George V.
Edward has undertaken a reduced program of royal work in recent years, notably absent from the Remembrance Sunday commemorations in November 2023.
The duke was present at Charles' coronation on May 6, 2023. On March 4, 2024, he attended a special service at Westminster Abbey, celebrating the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
Princess Alexandra, 87
Princess Alexandra is the younger sister of Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent.
From her teenage years, the princess has undertaken official royal work, though in recent months has been mostly inactive, with rare appearances at the king's coronation and also a memorial service to King Constantine II of Greece at Windsor Castle on February 27.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek*'s royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on* Newsweek*'s The Royals Facebook page.*
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
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