Holding Down the Fort: Queen Camilla and Princess Anne Praised as 'Hardworking' During Senior Royal Shortage

With King Charles III and Kate, Princess of Wales, recovering from surgeries, and Prince William refusing royal duties to look after Catherine, that leaves less than a handful of royals to keep the Crown's public profile afloat. Queen Camilla, and Princess Anne, are the only working, senior royals as of early February 2024, and both have been praised for their "hardworking" commitment to the monarchy.

In praise of Her Majesty The Queen specifically, a palace insider told an outlet that "she is so hard-working, people can't necessarily give their lives over to support her, and nor would she want or expect them to."

But the news of a "royal shortage" has led to a wide array of reactions, both from royal analysts and fans online.

"What I've been told is that the King has royal engagements that had to be canceled, so the palace had to start telling people this was happening," journalist Jack Royston shared when describing the concerns of the palace press office.

January 17 was apparently a chaotic day at the official seat of the British monarchy since the decision to announce Kate, Princess of Wales,' surgery was in tandem with King Charles' health condition as well.

"Once they started telling people privately, they just wanted to get that information out there," Royston added when describing how the dual announcements were a spur-of-the-moment decision. "It's reassuring for the public if it comes from the Palace rather than being leaked by somebody who maybe had a tangential role in a royal visit."

He continued: "If you allow it to come out that way, then everybody panics."

The lack of senior royals to represent the Crown in public is rumored to have come from one of these supposed "palace leaks" that the Buckingham Palace press office cannot contain.

To get ahead of possible recent leaks as well, which Prince Harry once claimed are "all too common" at Buckingham Palace, the press office decided to quickly follow Kensington Palace's statement about the Princess of Wales.

"In common with thousands of men each year, the king has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate," the official statement read. "His Majesty’s condition is benign, and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure. The king’s public engagements will be postponed for a short period of recuperation."

The King's surgery was a "success" and both His Majesty and the future queen were released from the London Clinic on Monday, January 29. Even though both are actively recovering, the Prince of Wales' absence from the public stage when combined with the King and Kate, has allowed other senior royals to establish their own unique identities.

GBN reported on the insider revelations.