King Charles Tops the List
Despite continuing cancer treatment, the monarch is said to have completed an impressive 532 official engagements over the year. Although the Princess Royal worked more days overall, she carried out 478 engagements, falling short of her brother’s total.
King Charles’ busy diary included numerous domestic visits across the UK, along with overseas trips to Italy, Canada and Poland. His workload reportedly increased in early 2025 after he received positive updates regarding his health.
In a recent cancer update, the king revealed that his treatment would be reduced in the New Year, attributing his progress to “early diagnosis, effective intervention and adherence to doctors’ orders”.
Challenging Long-Held Assumptions
Princess Anne has long been regarded as the hardest-working member of the royal family, but this year appears to mark a shift.
Royal reporter Patricia Treble, who compiled the engagement figures using data from the Court Circular, emphasized the significance of King Charles’ achievement.
“Considering he spent the entire year undergoing regular cancer treatment, the king set the pace when it comes to royal duty for the House of Windsor,” Treble told The Mirror.
She continued: “There’s a common belief that Anne is the hardest-working royal. I beg to differ. Though the Princess Royal did the most days of work (186) in 2025, it was her big brother who did the largest number of engagements.”
For many years, Princess Anne has topped the rankings for royal engagements and has often been described as the “hardest-working royal”. When asked in January whether retirement might be an option, she told the BBC it “isn’t really an option”.
Royal Engagement Rankings for 2025
According to the annual figures, Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, placed third with 313 engagements, making him the only other royal to surpass the 300 mark.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, followed in fourth place with 235 engagements. Queen Camilla ranked fifth with 228 duties, while the Duke of Gloucester took sixth with 212 engagements.
Prince William, the Prince of Wales, came in seventh with 202 engagements. He was followed by the Duchess of Gloucester with 113 and the Duke of Kent with 77, completing the top ten.
Princess of Wales’ Return to Public Duties
The Princess of Wales, who has been gradually returning to public life after undergoing cancer treatment last year, completed 68 engagements in 2025. This marks a significant increase from just 13 appearances the previous year, representing a 423% rise and one of the most notable rebounds among the royals.
With Christmas fast approaching, the royal family can now look forward to slowing down, spending time together and enjoying the festive season.
