By Molly Claire Goddard
3:55pm PDT, Oct 2, 2025
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Prince William may not have enough family members to fill out his royal roster. The future king of England could be stretched thin with engagements when he takes over from King Charles III due to multiple relatives retiring from — or being barred from completing — their official royal duties.
Keep reading to learn why William is running out of royals…
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In 2011, there were 12 senior working royals taking part in public engagements along with their immediate family members. They attended 3,874 engagements at home and abroad. By 2024, the number had dropped to 10 people, and attendance at events had dwindled by almost 50 percent to 2,168.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle retired from their royal duties in 2020. The Duke of Sussex still participates in charitable events while visiting the U.K., but King Charles III has made it clear that Harry will not be able to return to the firm on a part-time basis.
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Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, have been removed from their roles in the monarchy over their ties to the late convicted predator Jeffrey Epstein. A source close to the royals claimed the Duke of York will “never be photographed alongside Prince William again” following their headline-making joint appearance at the mid-September funeral services for Katharine, Duchess of Kent.
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Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, have recently take on more responsibility within the firm. The couple completed a successful state visit to Japan in late September, for example. “I think Prince William will be very grateful to have Edward and Sophie there when the time comes for him to be king,” royal expert Jennie Bond said. “With no Prince Harry to lean on, he will appreciate the support of his uncle and aunt and be grateful that they are willing to bear their share of the considerable workload.”
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Prince William‘s aunt, Princess Anne, is known as the hardest working member of the royal family. When he takes the throne, she will likely work alongside him, Kate Middleton, Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh to handle official engagements. The oldest members of the royal family are the late Queen Elizabeth II‘s first cousins — Edward, the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra — at 89 and 88, respectively.