Who could be part of a slimmed-down Monarchy?
With the potential for The Monarchy to be slimmed down, it leaves the question: Who exactly could find themselves in the outer sanctuary of the firm?
Looking at who will remain part of the working family, King Charles with The Queen Consort by his side, and The Prince and Princess of Wales are all sure to remain part of the working side.
However, it is after this point that the question of who will assist with the duties becomes unclear. Next in line would of course be The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. But with both having stepped down from royal duties this is not a viable option.
Prince Andrew has caused a scandal so it is unlikely he would be asked to carry out any official duties. With his daughters also having full-time jobs and their own lives set up, it seems unlikely they would want to take on the role as full-time working royals.
Princess Anne is currently the hardest-working royal, carrying out nearly 400 engagements in 2021. While she is 16th in line to the throne, keeping her as part of the main family could be for the best. She is often described as the royal family’s greatest asset.
The Earl and Countess of Wessex already take on official duties so it is likely they will remain in their roles at least for the time being. The Countess of Wessex took on a number of The Queen's official duties. Their daughter Lady Louise Windsor has just gone to St Andrews university in August to study English, so her introduction to any sort of royal role is likely to be delayed. They also have a son James, Viscount Severn but with him only being 14, he will not be involved in the working monarchy for quite some time.
Overall, the reasons for Charles slimming down The Monarchy are clear. With his intention to focus on the direct line of succession, he appears to feel that making a slimdown monarchy with relatives who could perhaps be considered fringe members of the family is not wise and could give the wrong impression of the kind of monarchy he wants to create.