Princess Anne and other senior working royals are being stretched “thin,” with experts pointing to the pressure on Prince William and Kate Middleton as the royal roster shrinks after departures, Andrew’s fallout, and King Charles III’s cancer treatment. Kate’s
Princess Anne has never been shy about showing up—yet even she, royal experts say, can only carry so much.
Catherine Mayer, author of the upcoming book Divide and Rule: Royal Women and Their Battles, told People that Princess Anne and the other senior working royals are “all stretched thin — and none of them are young.” Mayer added that Prince William, 43, and Kate Middleton, 44, “carry the whole thing.”
Anne, 75, isn’t the only one having to take on extra weight. Prince Edward, 62, and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, 61, have also been pulled into a heavier workload as the family’s bench of senior royals shrinks.
That strain is playing out against a backdrop of major changes inside the institution. The royal family has continued adjusting after the departures of Prince Harry, 41, and Meghan Markle, 44. The fallout surrounding 66-year-old Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s dramatic fall from grace remains part of the story. and 77-year-old King Charles III’s ongoing cancer treatment adds another layer of uncertainty.
Kate’s return, and what it signals
The pressure on William and Kate was visible 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.
For royal watchers, the timing and visibility weren’t incidental. Russell Myers, author of 2026’s William & Catherine: The Monarchy’s New Era: The Inside Story, told People that there’s “no denying that everyone concerned has been missing the princess’s star quality.”
Myers added that Kate is “a huge draw wherever she goes,” and said her comeback matters because “Catherine is undoubtedly a central force in the monarchy’s popularity and ability to achieve its goals and move forward.” He suggested there is “no better time for her to return.”
The family is increasingly central to the monarchy’s next chapter. with William and Kate absorbing more of the pressure as the roster tightens. Mayer said the royals are managing to project stability after a difficult period. describing how they’re “doing a very good job of making it look like the ship is steady.”.
“ 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.”
Stability after upheaval, and the push for what comes next
After months of upheaval, the monarchy also received what it called-needed support in the form of King Charles III’s April diplomatic trip to the U.S. to mark 250 years of American independence. The effort was framed as a carefully managed demonstration of stability.
Ailsa Anderson, Queen Elizabeth II’s former press secretary, told People that using “soft power was something no U.K. politician could have done,” and described it as “faultless.”
Mayer’s message was that the public-facing steadiness is deliberate—and that Kate’s role in that steadiness is growing. Anderson echoed that sense of what’s next, saying 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.”.
Princess Anne Prince William Kate Middleton working royals British monarchy stretched thin Catherine Mayer Divide and Rule Russell Myers William & Catherine: The Monarchy’s New Era King Charles III cancer treatment Prince Harry Meghan Markle Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Sophie Duchess of Edinburgh Prince Edward Kate Italy visit Reggio Emilia Centre for Early Childhood 250 years American independence
So like… Anne is doing it all now? Royal schedule sounds exhausting.
I don’t get why they keep acting like it’s a “strain” when they have whole teams. Also Charles with cancer like cmon. But then William and Kate “carry the whole thing”?? That sounds kinda unfair to the others.
Wait, is this saying Princess Anne is replacing Andrew now? Because I saw something about Andrew’s fallout and then people were saying he won’t do anything anymore, and I guess that means Anne is just taking over his gigs? Idk, royals confuse me. Either way Kate going to Italy drew crowds so that part makes sense I guess.
Everybody’s stretched thin except somehow they still have time to announce trips and “returns” like it’s a TV season. The article keeps bringing up Charles cancer treatment, which yeah that’s serious, but then it jumps to William/Kate carrying everything? Isn’t that just the same royal machine always doing what it does? Also Harry and Meghan leaving like… that was years ago, so why are they acting like it just happened. People will say “bench shrinks” but it’s still like 10 people in suits showing up.