Too Big or Too Small? Charting the Royal Family’s Struggle to Achieve a Pared-Back Monarchy

To celebrate the first anniversary of the coronation of King Charles III we chart two decades of royal expansions and reductions – as the monarchy searches for a size that feels not too big and not too small, but just right – from Zoomer‘s April/May 2024 issue.

 

It’s no secret the King has long been a proponent of a modernized, cost-effective monarchy that consists mostly of direct heirs to the throne – in other words, slimming down the number of working royals to just his consort, children and grandchildren. Not so long ago, he must have imagined that the photogenic fab four, consisting of his sons and their wives, would always be there to help him and Queen Camilla head up the A-team (with his sister and brothers forming a formidable second line if needed). But a series of unfortunate events has instead left the King in need of regal reinforcements. 

As recently as 2019, the number of working royals hovered around 15. But with the deaths of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the fall of Prince Andrew and the departure of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, that number sits at 11 – and four of them are Elizabeth II’s cousins, who perform few duties and are in their late 70s and 80s. Meanwhile, the beloved Prince and Princess of Wales continue to balance their official duties with raising a young family, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh (who stepped in for Harry and Meghan) just don’t garner the same excitement. That leaves Charles, Camilla and Princess Anne – who are all over 70 – to divvy up the bulk of the Royal Family’s nearly 3,000 annual engagements.

It’s safe to say this crew was stretched pretty thin before the King’s cancer diagnosis and Kate’s hospitalization for abdominal surgery, which resulted in William taking time off as well. Things came to a head in February, when William – who had already returned to work – bowed out of a “family” (as opposed to official) event honouring his godfather King Constantine of Greece – thereby giving the Royal Family’s black sheep an opportunity to step up. The optics were awkward, to say the least, as Andrew guided members of his and Princess Anne’s family into the church service. 

An avid gardener, the King must now be thinking of planting rather than pruning. And he’s got plenty of nieces and nephews – including Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s daughters, Princesses  Beatrice and Eugenie, who have remained untouched by their parents’ foibles; and Edward and Sophie’s 20-year-old, carriage-driving daughter Lady Louise – who can step in until William and Kate’s three children are old enough to fulfil their destiny.

Here, we look at two decades of royal expansions and reductions as the monarchy searches for a size that feels not too big and not too small – but just right.

June 2002

At the Golden Jubilee marking the Queen’s 50 years on the throne, a robust Royal Family, including all four of her children and their families, celebrate on the Buckingham Palace balcony.

July 2011

Prince Andrew is forced to step away from his role as U.K. trade envoy, after years of questionable expenses and his friendship to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is revealed.

June 2012

In a nod to the U.K.’s austerity measures (and with Prince Philip in
the hospital), the Queen tries out a “naked balcony” with just six royals for her Diamond Jubilee.  

August 2017

After 22,219 solo royal engagements, Prince Philip retires from official duties. 

June 2018 

After a tepid reaction to the naked balcony, the Queen invites a whopping
45 family members to join her at the traditional Trooping the Colour balcony flypast, including many of her grandchildren and great-grandkids – and new working royal Meghan Markle.

November 2019

After a disastrous TV interview about his association with Epstein, Prince Andrew must give up his role as a working royal, stop using his HRH in any official capacity and is stripped of his military titles.

January 2020

An all-in or all-out ultimatum from the Queen at the Sandringham summit results in the Duke and Duchess of Sussex no longer being working members of the Royal Family.

December 2020 

At a pandemic Christmas gathering, the Queen presents a core group of senior royals, who will henceforth be the face of the family.

June 2022

Even at the Platinum Jubilee, with its pomp and pageantry, the majority of the Queen’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren are left out of the historic balcony moment.

September 2022 

King Charles ascends the throne and is expected to shake things up in terms of the number of publicly funded royals, household staffing
and other inefficiencies.  

March 2023

Taking into account his late parents’ wishes, the King gives his father’s title, the Duke of Edinburgh, to his youngest brother Edward – but decrees the dukedom will not be inherited by Edward’s son, James. With an eye to a trimmer monarchy, Charles may choose to pass it on to one of his own grandchildren. 

May 2023

Princess Anne, the hardest-working royal – with 457 engagements in 2023 – addresses “the slimmed-down monarchy” plan during a CBC interview: “It doesn’t sound like a good idea.”

January 2024

The Princess of Wales is hospitalized for an abdominal operation and takes an extended leave from official duties.  

February 2024
King Charles, diagnosed with an unspecified cancer, postpones public-facing duties after he begins treatment.

March 2024
After assuming extra responsibilities during her husband’s illness, including being the most senior royal at King Constantine’s memorial, Queen Camilla packs her bags for a sunny holiday – a quick breather before she subs in for His Majesty at the Commonwealth Day service. 

Meanwhile, in the wake of growing conspiracy theories surrounding her extended absence from public duties – and a photo editing mishap involving a Mother’s Day image with her children – the Princess of Wales releases a video in which she explains that she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy following the discovery of cancer after her abdominal surgery.

April 2024
King Charles returns to public duties while still taking medical treatment, visiting London’s University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre and being named patron of the charity Cancer Research UK.

A version of this article appeared in the April/May 2024 issue with the headline ‘King Size,’ p. 49. 

RELATED: 

Send Him Victorious: Despite Cancer and a Slimmed-Down Monarchy, King Charles III’s Soft Power Should Not Be Underestimated

Robert Hardman Tells ‘The Inside Story’ of King Charles’ First Year on the Throne

A King’s Ransom: Breaking Down the Incalculable Wealth of Charles III