Prince William and Princess Kate Are Challenging Royal Norms In an Effort to Be "More Impactful," Says Royal Author

Each year, attention turns to which member of the Royal Family was the "hardest working," with King Charles and Princess Anne usually topping the list for the most royal engagements. Princess Kate has made appearances in Scotland, Windsor and London this month as she prepares to increase her 2026 workload, but according to royal sources, there's not a huge push for Kate to match the numbers of older family members.

"What we’re seeing with the younger royals is a consolidation of their charitable efforts, and a call to action," royal author and journalist Katie Nicholl told the Mirror. "They’re spreading themselves less thinly because there are fewer working royals now, so their work has to be more impactful."

Prince William also falls into the "fewer but more impactful" category, and has spoken about wanting to make a real difference instead of just cutting ribbons, as Kate Mansey of the Times said in an episode of The Royal Beat last year.

Mansey told the True Royalty TV program that the Prince of Wales "wants to come away and think, ‘I've made a difference there, there's money that's gone into that community center or there's something that's happened because I went there,' rather than just showing up and shaking some hands."

Focusing on passion projects—such as early childhood development for Kate and homelessness for William—is a part of the couple's overall strategy as they prepare to take the throne one day.

Speaking to journalists in South Africa during his visit for the 2024 Earthshot Prize, the Prince of Wales said he was "trying to do it differently" when it came to royal engagements.

"I’m doing it with maybe a smaller 'r' in the royal, if you like, that’s maybe a better way of saying it," the Prince of Wales added.