Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, 81, received special praise for his contributions to the monarchy and King Charles, apparently leaving Prince William behind.
The 81-year-old royal, first cousin to the late Queen Elizabeth II, was ranked sixth just after Queen Camilla in a major list revealed last month. He had carried out 212 official engagements throughout 2025, surpassing Prince William’s figure of 202.
In a surprising turn of events, King Charles had dethroned his sister, often considered the hardest working royal, in 2025 by carrying out 532 engagements. Meanwhile, Anne came in second with 478 engagements.
Even though the monarch had undergone weekly cancer treatments over the past year, he managed to take the top spot as the hardest-working royal. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh followed closely in third and fourth place respectively.
The Prince and Princess of Wales have understandably kept public appearances low since they have young children and Kate had just recovered from her own battle with cancer.
During this time, lesser-known senior royals have been quietly but vigilantly carrying out their duties. They are understood to have earned praise and recognition from the King himself for the loyalty they have shown, especially during his health battle.
