Royal expert warns that William may have to rely on Harry as senior royals age and numbers dwindle
Prince William has received a sobering reminder about the state of the royal family as reports suggest the Palace is preparing him to take the crown sooner than expected.
Since the Duke and Meghan Markle stepped away from royal duties, the number of working royals has sharply declined. The situation has worsened in recent years following King Charles and Catherine’s cancer diagnoses, leaving a noticeably smaller group available for official engagements.
Royal commentator Christopher Wilson told the Daily Mail that William may soon face a serious shortage of active royals to represent the monarchy. “The return of Prince Edward and wife Sophie from their hugely successful State Visit to Japan serves as a reminder to the future king that when his time comes, there’s almost nobody left to send abroad on these vital goodwill missions,” he said.
Wilson reflected on how the royal ranks have thinned over the years. “Once, there was a raft of royals who filled out the 25-yard-wide Buckingham Palace balcony. Slowly, one by one, they’ve drifted away,” he explained. In 2011, a dozen senior royals carried out nearly 3,900 engagements at home and abroad. By 2024, that number had dropped to ten, with engagements reduced to just over 2,100.
Despite the challenges, Wilson believes William’s pragmatic nature could help him adapt. He suggested the Prince of Wales might enlist help from his non-working cousins — Zara Tindall, Peter Phillips, and the daughters of the Duke of York — to support the monarchy as his reign draws closer.
