8 Royals Who Could Be Sidelined When William Becomes King

The monarchy is expected to look a lot different once Prince William becomes king. While King Charles has already pursued a slimmer working royal model, William is likely to take that approach even further. He is reported to place greater emphasis on the younger generation, sidelining some of his distant royal relatives. At present, the core working royals include Charles and Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and Princess Anne, alongside several older part-time working royals, including the Duke of Kent and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, represents one of the clearest examples of natural attrition within the Royal Family. As Queen Elizabeth II's cousin and one of the oldest members of the clan, age is already a significant factor. The Duke continues to undertake engagements, but due to his age, he is taking it slow, and with the monarchy's gradual move toward younger faces, his role is likely to diminish over time.

The York sisters could also find themselves increasingly removed from the royal fold. Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie are not working royals, and the latter has even chosen Portugal as her primary base after welcoming her third child earlier this month. On the other hand, Beatrice has maintained a safe distance from the royal firm since her parents' scandal.

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester are another pair whose public role could gradually shrink under a future King William. Both have spent decades supporting the monarchy, but they belong to an older generation of royals and already take on fewer engagements. When William takes over the throne, he is likely to prioritize a smaller and more modern Firm.

Lady Ogilvy, aka Princess Alexandra, could be another royal whose role will fade further into the background after William inherits the throne. At 89, she is among the oldest members of the wider Royal Family and is now rarely seen carrying out public duties. Her reduced visibility will only stretch further as time passes, and eventually, after William becomes King. Her last recorded official public engagement, as per Court Circular, was in December last year, when she attended a service of thanksgiving alongside Queen Camilla for the life of Mr. Hugh Green at St. James's Palace.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are already outside the working pool of royals since stepping back from official duties in 2020. Under King William, their chances of returning to a prominent position within the monarchy could remain slim. William is expected to build his reign around the Wales family and a carefully defined group of working royals, who in the longer run will stay loyal to him. While Markle and Harry are trying to reunite with Charles, their relationship with William remains frosty.