The British royal family is part of a centuries-long history. Its current members all come from the House of Windsor, which emerged from the German House of Dinge-Coburg and Gotha in 1917. At its head is King Charles III, who ascended to the throne on May 6, 2023, succeeding his mother Queen Elizabeth II. The monarch and his immediate family members take on various official, ceremonial and, above all, representative tasks in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Windsor Calendar: These royals have legal duties
Only the king and the “Queen Consort” Queen Camilla as well as the first four adult royals in line to the throne, the so-called state councilors, have legal duties. As the British head of state, the king, among other things, opens the session of Parliament and approves draft laws through his “Royal Assent”.
The “Senior Working Royals” dedicate themselves to their duties full-time
The most important members of the royal family represent the king in public or at receptions and provide patronage for associations or charities. The family members who perform these royal duties and appointments full-time are sometimes called “senior working royals.” In addition to Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, they also include Charles’ siblings Princess Anne and Prince Edward with his wife Duchess Sophie. Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan stepped down from their duties as working royals in 2020 to build their own lives in California.
The British Royal Family and their Charity
Charity appointments take up a large part of the Windsors’ schedule. Currently, over 3,000 charities have the king or a member of the royal family as patron or president. These range from well-known organizations such as the British Red Cross to smaller ones such as the Reedham Children’s Trust to armed forces regiments. The patronage of the royals is mostly due to their interests. Prince William, for example, has been committed to helping the homeless for many years and is interested in art and the environment.