King Charles has reportedly ruled out cutting the number of working royals - despite long-held predictions he wanted a slimmed-down monarchy.
He is now said to be keeping things as they are for the foreseeable future with 11 royals set to continue carrying out official royal duties. In recent years the number of working royals has reduced anyway with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle quitting to move to the US and Prince Andrew being forced to step down from public life. This means among those carrying out duties are the King, Queen Consort Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales - William and Kate - Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex.
They are also assisted by the late Queen's cousins the Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra, the Duke of Gloucester and his wife the Duchess of Gloucester.
A senior royal source told the Daily Express : "There are no current plans to change anything on that front."
And royal expert and observer Joe Little, the managing editor of Majesty magazine, added that the cousins would help to spread the load of royal duties for a little while to come.
He explained: "I think they are needed to just carry on what they are doing."
Meanwhile, Charles is planning the Royal Family’s biggest-ever series of tours around the globe to kick off his reign.
The monarch will prioritise visits to Australia, New Zealand and several Commonwealth realms in the Caribbean.
It will be a two-year blitz of foreign travel aimed at “extending a hand of friendship and support”, royal sources have revealed.
The Prince and Princess of Wales are also being lined up for a “major support role” as the royals begin a new era after Queen Elizabeth’s passing.
The King is also understood to be keen to undertake a number of solo trips, both at home and abroad. This will allow the Queen Consort to undertake more engagements for her personal projects.
A royal source said: “The King and his family are keen to hit the ground running in these crucial first few months and years of his reign.
“He certainly wants to carry on the long-held mantra from his late mother of being seen to be believed, and is very keen to get out and meet as many people as possible.”
Sources have said the royals could undertake as many trips as the Queen packed in during the 1970s, with her 52 Commonwealth visits and 21 trips to other countries to mark her 25th jubilee.
