Who Are the Working Royals and What Do They Do?

Hold on to your hats, folks, because we're about to dive into the world of the working royals.

With a recent announcement that only working royals will appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at King Charles III's coronation, it's got us wondering, who are these working royals and what do they actually do?

Let's find out.

Firstly, let's define what a working royal is.

These are members of the royal family who represent the king at official engagements.

They are considered full-time employees of the monarchy, with all expenses including living costs, accommodation, and overseas travel covered by the king.

Currently, there are only ten confirmed working royals.

Of course, there are some who will work on a reduced basis, such as Princess Alexandra of Kent, but we'll focus on the full-time working royals for now.

First and foremost, we have His Majesty, King Charles III.

As the head of state, Charles has already taken over some of the duties normally reserved for the monarch.

This included the opening of Parliament.

Next up is Queen Consort Camilla.

The late Queen Elizabeth II confirmed before her passing that Camilla would be Queen Consort when Charles ascended to the throne.

Prior to becoming Queen Consort, Camilla, who was the Duchess of Cornwall, often carried out duties either with Charles or alone.

The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge, Prince William and Catherine, are also full-time working royals.

As the newly confirmed Prince and Princess of Wales, they have stepped up in recent years to take on more royal duties on behalf of the Queen and now the King.

As heir apparent, William will likely take on even more duties now, picking up tasks his father used to perform as the previous Prince of Wales.

Their children, Princess George and Louis and Princess Charlotte, will join them on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at the King's coronation.

Princess Anne, the Queen's only daughter, is considered one of the hardest-working royals, regularly topping the list of most official engagements carried out annually.

This year, Anne took on a tour of Australia and is rumored to become the first female head of the Marines.

Anne's husband, Vice-Admiral Timothy Lawrence, is not a working royal, but he will join Anne on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at King Charles's coronation.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Prince Edward and Sophie, are also full-time working royals.

Their children, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn, are not working royals, but it is likely both will join their parents on the palace balcony for King Charles's coronation.

Prince Richard, the late Queen Elizabeth II's first cousin, and his wife, Bridget, attend national and international events in support of the late monarch and her duties as head of state.

While he might be a lesser-known royal to some, he has been a full-time working member of the royal family for years.

It's worth noting that being a patron to different charities does not necessarily make a royal a working royal.

It must be on the monarch's behalf.

This is why royals like Princess Beatrice and Eugenie, who are patrons of different charities, might carry out lots of functions, but they aren't considered working royals.

Being a working royal is no easy feat.

It's a full-time job with a never-ending list of responsibilities.

These can range from attending state dinners to charity events to opening new hospitals and schools.

The seniority of the working royal will be negotiated between various government bodies – Buckingham Palace, ambassadors, or high commissioners in the overseas country – to ensure that the person is of the appropriate standing to achieve the task at hand.

For the more important tasks, like receiving a president of a different nation, it's likely the king or a direct heir will undertake the task.

But for the day-to-day duties, these working royals are always ready to represent the monarchy with grace and dignity.