Princess Anne has long been known as one of the hardest-working members of the British royal family — but even she can only do so much.
As the monarchy continues operating with a smaller bench of senior royals, royal experts say the pressure on the remaining working members of the family is becoming impossible to ignore.
“Princess Anne and the other senior working royals are all stretched thin — and none of them are young,” Catherine Mayer, author of the upcoming book Divide and Rule: Royal Women and Their Battles, told People for the magazine’s newest cover story. Prince William, 43, and Kate Middleton, 44, “carry the whole thing,” she added.
Anne, 75, isn’t the only one carrying extra weight. Prince Edward, 62, and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, 61, have also had to take on more as the family’s roster has shrunk.
The strain comes as the royal family continues adjusting to the departures of Prince Harry, 41, and Meghan Markle, 44, the fallout surrounding 66-year-old Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor‘s dramatic fall from grace, and 77-year-old King Charles III‘s ongoing cancer treatment.
Kate’s comeback
The pressure on the Prince and Princess of Wales was evident during Kate’s recent trip to Italy — her first solo foreign engagement since her 2024 cancer announcement.
Over two days in Reggio Emilia, Kate spotlighted her Centre for Early Childhood and drew huge crowds.
The visit made clear that she and William are being looked to more than ever as they absorb more of the pressure on the slimmed-down royal operation.
“There’s no denying that everyone concerned has been missing the princess’s star quality. She is a huge draw wherever she goes,” Russell Myers, author of 2026’s William & Catherine: The Monarchy’s New Era: The Inside Story, told People.
“Catherine is undoubtedly a central force in the monarchy’s popularity and ability to achieve its goals and move forward. There is no better time for her to return,” Myers added.
The monarchy’s future
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s family is increasingly central to the monarchy’s future amid a slimmed-down royal roster. By: MEGA
The king’s successful April diplomatic trip to the U.S. to mark 250 years of American independence also gave the monarchy a badly needed show of stability after months of upheaval.
“Wielding that soft power was something no U.K. politician could have done,” Queen Elizabeth II‘s former press secretary Ailsa Anderson told People. “It was faultless.”
Mayer said the royals are managing to project stability after a difficult period. “For the moment, after that period of unprecedented turbulence, they are doing a very good job of making it look like the ship is steady. That is why Kate is so important. Charles is the incumbent, but she and William are the future,” Mayer added. “There is no institution without them.”
Anderson also said Kate’s return makes clear what’s coming next.
“She is our future queen. As Queen Elizabeth used to say, you have to be seen to be believed. She is glamorous, she is beautiful. She is warm and approachable,” Anderson said. “On the back of the king’s successful visit to the States, William and Kate are upping their game. It is a clear signal she is back in business.”
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