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At the very beginning of his reign, King Charles spoke of a “slimmed-down” monarchy more in keeping with modern Britain.
However, with both Princess Kate and the Princess Royal sidelined by health woes, and the King himself undergoing treatment for cancer, the Royal Family is “looking pretty bare at the moment,” according to the Mirror’s royal editor Russell Myers.
“You’ve got the King pretty much just getting back to business as it stands at the moment“ Russell said on the Mirror’s Pod Save the King podcast, before adding: “The Princess of Wales, no plans to return imminently whatsoever.”
Meanwhile, Princess Anne – famously regarded as the “hardest-working royal” – is currently recovering from an accident involving a horse at Gatcombe Park, her Gloucestershire estate, which required her to stay in hospital for five days.
The Princess will be left very frustrated, Russell claims, as events that are dear to her start disappearing from her diary
“She missed a big event in Canada this week where she was going to be honouring and commemorating the war dead,” he said, “and that will really hurt her, I think, because she doesn’t really go about her business without any fanfare. And for her to have to do that will cut deep, I imagine”.
As well as the the members of The Firm who are currently on sick leave, Russell pointed out, other family members will inevitably have their schedules disrupted.
He said: “The Prince of Wales has been taking an extended leave of absence because of his wife’s condition and looking after children, and everything that’s going on with his father.
“And then you have Princess Anne. So, you know, the slimmed down monarchy is looking a bit threadbare.”
With so many of the family sidelined, it’s Queen Camilla who has stepped up to become “pretty much the face of the monarchy,” Russell says.
“She has been able to really take herself away from the things that are going on at home and step forward and take on all these responsibilities.”
Standing in for her husband, Camilla has shown she is a great fit for the role, he adds: “It was just her and the camera. She’s very media savvy, Camilla. She knows where the camera is.”
It remains to be seen whether Princess Kate will make an appearance at the Wimbledon finals next weekend, or whether another royal will stand in for her.
He suggested: “It’s something that she would love to do given the… regardless of her condition.
“I think it’s something that she’s enjoyed doing for many, many years.”
