What the Queen’s new job description means for the Royal Family

The Queen's workload has been lightened by Buckingham Palace amid concerns for the 96-year-old monarch's health after the Platinum Jubilee

What the Queen’s new job description means for the Royal Family
(Image credit: Getty)

The Queen's job description has officially been updated by Buckingham Palace, in light of the monarch's declining health and ongoing mobility issues. 

  • The Queen's job description has been revised to reduce the monarch's workload in light of her ongoing mobility issues. 
  • The updated version, published in Buckingham Palace's annual report, outlined how Her Majesty's duties will change following her Platinum Jubilee – and what effect these edits will have on her fellow royals. 
  • In other royal news, Prince Harry reveals he sees Princess Diana's legacy in Archie and Lilibet.

Buckingham Palace has changed the Queen's job description following her Platinum Jubilee, in a move that will lighten the 96-year-old's workload amid her ongoing mobility issues. 

The updates, which were published in the palace's annual report, have scrapped a number of Her Majesty's former duties, such as the State Opening of Parliament and the payment of state visits. 

Her job criteria now simply “encompasses a range of parliamentary and diplomatic duties", and only requires her to receive visiting heads of state. It is the first time in over a decade that such revisions to the monarch's role have been made. 

For the Queen, these subtle edits mean less traveling for work and more time to rest at her private residence of Windsor Castle. The great-grandmother has battled multiple hardships over the past year and a half, including a COVID-19 diagnosis and walking difficulties, as well as the death of her beloved husband, Prince Philip. 

Royals

The Queen's job description change will likely mean more responsibilities for the rest of the Royal Family 

(Image credit: Getty)

While the Queen can't quit the throne over these concerns, she can delegate many of her current duties to younger members of the Royal Family. 

The new version in the Sovereign Grant report dictates that Her Majesty's nearest kin should step up to represent her when needed – a task that has already been fulfilled by Prince Charles and Prince William on numerous occasions in recent months. 

"The Queen is greatly assisted by other members of the Royal family who undertake official duties on behalf of Her Majesty," the updated description reads.

It's highly likely that Duchess Camilla and the Duchess of Cambridge will also be expected to take on more roles in the foreseeable future as the Queen's visibility in public continues to decrease. 

Her Majesty, who is now reportedly relaxing at Sandringham House after her trip to Scotland for Holyrood Week, will continue to hold the title of Head of State and Head of Nation. 

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.


Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.