If you’ve ever flicked through old family photo albums, you’ll know the bittersweet feeling of seeing how much can change in just a few years.
Now, imagine that on a royal scale. Two photographs, snapped just a handful of years apart, have laid bare a new and rather sobering reality for the British royal family—a reality that’s left even the most diehard monarchists feeling a little nostalgic, and perhaps a tad concerned.
Let’s set the scene: Trooping the Colour, the annual June spectacle that marks the official birthday of the British sovereign.
It’s a tradition steeped in pomp, pageantry, and enough red coats to make a tomato blush. But this year, despite the usual parade of horses, brass bands, and military precision, the event felt, well, a bit flat.
Not even the dazzling aquamarine coat worn by Catherine, Princess of Wales—so bright it could guide ships through fog—could inject the usual fizz into the proceedings.
So, what’s changed? The answer lies in a decision made by King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) back in 2012. In a bid to modernise and streamline the monarchy, Charles unveiled his vision for a ‘slimmed down’ royal family.
The idea was to present a leaner, more cost-effective institution—one that wouldn’t look like a bloated relic of a bygone era, but rather a tight-knit team of working royals, focused on value for money and public service.
On paper, it made sense. In practice, the results are now on full display—and they’re a little underwhelming.
This year’s Trooping the Colour balcony moment was a far cry from the bustling, multi-generational scenes of the past.
Gone are the days when the palace balcony groaned under the weight of 35-plus Windsors, all waving enthusiastically (and, let’s be honest, probably wondering if there’d be enough cucumber sandwiches to go around).
Instead, the 2024 line-up looked more like the board of a Home Counties golf club than the future of a multi-billion-dollar institution.
Of the 11 working royals allowed on the balcony, most are well into their 70s or 80s. Aside from King Charles and Queen Camilla, and the ever-popular Prince William and Princess Catherine with their three children, the rest of the group was made up of distant cousins and elderly dukes—distinguished, yes, but hardly the stuff of social media fan accounts.
It’s a stark contrast to the last ‘full house’ balcony photo in 2019, when the late Queen Elizabeth II presided over a vibrant, diverse crowd of family members. Back then, the royal family felt dynamic, even a little glamorous.
The addition of Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex—a biracial, divorced American with charisma to burn—brought a sense of modernity and relevance that the monarchy hadn’t seen in decades. The Sussexes, alongside the Waleses, seemed poised to carry the institution into a new era.
But then came the shocks. First, Prince Andrew’s disastrous Newsnight interview in 2019, which saw him step back from public duties amid a scandal.
Then, in early 2020, Harry and Meghan’s bombshell announcement: they were stepping down as senior royals, seeking a new life (and a bit more privacy) across the Atlantic. Suddenly, Charles’s slimmed-down model looked less like a savvy business move and more like a risky gamble.
The plan had always relied on both William and Harry, with their wives, shouldering the bulk of royal duties.
With the Sussexes gone, the burden now falls almost entirely on William, Catherine, and their young children—a Herculean task, especially as the older generation inevitably steps back.
And let’s not forget the other casualties of the slimmed-down approach. Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, once seen as potential assets to the royal ‘firm’, have been quietly sidelined, encouraged to pursue private careers rather than full-time royal duties. It’s a move that, in hindsight, may have been a little too hasty.
The result? A royal family that feels smaller, older, and—dare we say it—a bit less relevant. Even the crowds at this year’s Trooping the Colour seemed diminished, with aerial shots suggesting fewer people were willing to brave the London drizzle for a glimpse of a handful of octogenarian dukes.
So, what does the future hold? In ten years’ time, who will be left to wave from the palace balcony?
Will the public still care enough to turn out in their thousands, or will the monarchy’s star continue to fade?
One thing’s for sure: the royal family is at a crossroads. The decisions made now—about who gets to represent the Crown, and how—will shape the institution for generations to come.
For those of us who’ve watched the Windsors weather scandal, tragedy, and change, it’s a fascinating (if slightly melancholy) moment in history.
But what do you think? Has the royal family lost its sparkle, or is a leaner, more focused monarchy exactly what’s needed in the 21st century?
Do you miss the days of balcony crowd scenes, or do you prefer the new, streamlined approach? We’d love to hear your thoughts—share your comments below and join the conversation!
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