For those born into royalty, do their responsibilities ever end?

To be a prince, princess, king or queen sounds like a fairy tale that many children dream of. But what is it really like to be born or married into a role of such importance? And if it isn’t the life for you, is there a way out?

At the beginning of 2020 the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, decided to shift away from the public eye, dropping their titles and royal roles. Aiming to become completely financially independent, it symbolised a new era for British royals. Over the course of a year, Britain’s royal family carries out over 2,000 official engagements. So with fewer family members carrying out these duties, there will be fewer engagements going forward. 

Each royal usually prioritises a cause to raise awareness for. Harry’s was environmental work while Meghan often shone light on gender equality. Some worry that these causes will miss out. Others praise the couple for not just blindly following an ancient tradition.