Prince William is facing renewed scrutiny over his public workload after royal author and former UK government minister Norman Baker accused the Prince of Wales of failing to match the pace of other senior members of the Royal Family, citing official engagement records that show the heir to the throne has carried out significantly fewer public appearances this year.
According to figures compiled by Baker, King Charles III attended 76 official engagements between Jan. 1 and June 15, while Princess Anne completed 100 during the same period. Prince William, meanwhile, undertook 57 engagements, a comparison Baker argues raises questions about whether the future king is fulfilling the public responsibilities expected of his position.
Baker expanded on those criticisms by pointing to full-year figures from 2024. He said Princess Anne completed 474 public duties last year, King Charles carried out 372, while Prince William attended 166 engagements. Based on those numbers, Baker argued the Prince of Wales has consistently maintained a lighter public schedule than other senior royals.
The royal commentator, a long-time critic of the monarchy's finances and transparency, was particularly blunt in his assessment. Baker described William as "workshy," while acknowledging that the prince places a high priority on family life. "William has stated firmly that his family must come first," Baker said. "While that is laudable in some ways, is it really possible for the heir to the throne to absent himself from royal duties as he does?"
Baker also criticized what he characterized as Prince William's focus on private wealth, arguing that the prince devotes more attention to financial matters than public service. "Workshy William? Yes, when it comes to undertaking royal duties," Baker said. "But no, when it comes to adding to his already bulging bank account."
Among the examples Baker cited was Prince William's absence from the Royal Family's traditional Easter Sunday service at St. George's Chapel in Windsor earlier this year, an event that he and Catherine, Princess of Wales, did not attend. Baker argued the absence reflected a broader pattern of selectively reducing ceremonial appearances.
His comments arrive as King Charles has continued performing public duties while undergoing cancer treatment, drawing praise for maintaining a busy schedule despite ongoing health challenges. Princess Anne has likewise remained one of the monarchy's most active working royals, consistently leading annual engagement totals.
Supporters of Prince William, however, argue that measuring royal work solely by engagement numbers presents an incomplete picture. They note that the Prince of Wales has increasingly concentrated on long-term initiatives, including environmental projects through the Earthshot Prize, homelessness programs, and mental health campaigns, much of which involves planning, private meetings and policy work that are not reflected in official engagement counts.
