The number of public engagements carried out by Britain’s royal family dropped sharply in the year leading up to March 2025, official documents showed, reflecting the impact of King Charles III and Catherine, Princess of Wales, health issues. Members of the monarchy undertook more than 1,900 engagements both in Britain and abroad, according to the sovereign grant report released by Buckingham Palace. This marks a significant decline from the 2,300 engagements in the previous year and stands in stark contrast to the 3,200 events attended by Queen Elizabeth II and her family prior to the pandemic.

Despite the ongoing health issues affecting key royal family members, the report highlighted the continuity of their traditional outreach efforts. Over the last year, more than 93,000 guests participated in 828 events hosted at royal palaces. “Soft power is hard to measure, but its importance is now clearer than ever, especially with the new reign's core themes increasingly coming to light,” observed James Chalmers, who oversees the monarch's financial management.

In February 2024, King Charles revealed that he had been diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer. However, he resumed his royal duties in May 2024 and has since attended significant events, including a meeting of the Commonwealth heads of government in Samoa and a two-day parliamentary visit to Canada earlier this year.