Kate, the Princess of Wales, will end up “paying the price for much” of the “tumult and change” that happened over the last few years in the Royal Family, according to a royal commentator. Columnist Daniela Elser considered just how much has changed for the Firm since the last Christmas gathering held at Sandringham in 2019.

The working Royal Family, she noted, has become sensibly smaller as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have since stepped down. Writing an op-ed for the New Zealand Herald, Ms Elser said: “The loss of the Sussexes from the royal fold dealt the Royal Family not only a serious reputational blow but a hands-on one too.” The fact that Meghan and Prince Harry, much like Prince Andrew in January, have returned their military and royal patronages to the sovereign means “the remaining HRHs are going to be stretched ever thinner”. And, as Kate and Prince William are the only two members of the working Firm currently aged under-50s, it is likely they will need to shoulder much of the patronages, engagements and tours abroad in the future, Ms Elser suggested.