Prince William and Catherine, the Princess of Wales’ new ‘frustrations’ over Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal absence

King Charles III’s slimmed-down monarchy is putting pressure on senior working royals like Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales and it’s reigniting old “frustrations” about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex quit the monarchy in 2020, leaving a huge gap in the senior royal lineup that was quietly filled by lesser-known royals like Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh.

Now, with Catherine stepping back from royal duties to undergo cancer treatment and the remaining senior working royals ageing fast, Harry and Meghan’s absence is being felt more than ever.

Former royal correspondent for The Sun, Phil Dampier, has now told the outlet the pressure their exit has put on the British royal family has some royals feeling resentful.

“All of a sudden, the slimmed-down monarchy by default is looking very slim, so they are thin on the ground,” Dampier claimed.

“Obviously, were they still working royals, Harry and Meghan could have taken up a lot of the slack. So it is frustrating.”

Without the Sussexes to serve as working royals, the monarchy has had to bring more periphery royals into the fold, with William relying on his cousins Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie of late.

Meanwhile, many of the existing working royals who have been picking up the slack the Sussexes left will probably be looking to retire soon.

Of the senior working royals, The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are 60 and 59 respectively, Princess Anne is 73.

Of the junior royals, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester are in their late 70s, while the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra are in their 80s.

“At a glance it is an aging institution, and the current optics could be said to ‘be of concern,'” Dickie Arbiter recently wrote for 9honey.

Dampier noted that it will be at least another decade before the Wales children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – start taking on formal royal duties, which could leave a huge gap in the working royal roster.