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The royal family is well known for its philanthropic work. Certain royals, known as working royals, perform many charitable duties in the name of the queen. But being royal isn’t as easy as it seems — there are several jobs that come along with being a part of one of the world’s most well-known families, and charity work is one of them. How much time do the royals spend helping others?

Duchess Kate Middleton, Prince William, Duchess Meghan Markle, Prince Harry celebrating Christmas.
The royal family donates a lot of their time to charity. | Adrian Dennis/Getty Images

All royals are charitable, but working royals do a lot of charity work

One big responsibility of royal family members is understanding their massive platform. The family has the ability to connect with billions of people around the globe, which means a lot of time is spent giving back to both local communities and different places around the world. While all of the royal family members are passionate about charity work, the working royals have a big responsibility to give back. Working royals are those who perform duties in the queen’s name. This includes attending various events and functions on behalf of the queen, which means the taxpayers essentially pay royals to be who they are. Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince Harry, and their wives are all examples of working royals. However, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice are not. In addition to getting paid to make an appearance, working royals are also deeply passionate about charity work.

Each royal has different foundations they support throughout their lives

As far as how much time royals spend doing charity work, it is essentially limitless. Each royal has various charities they support, and many of them have formed their own foundations through the years. They might attend several events in a week to support charities they are passionate about. According to royal.uk, the royal family’s ties to these charities are what give the organizations the publicity they need to help those in need. For example, when Prince William supports a charity, it puts that charity on the map. Others then become aware and donate money or time to help the organization help others.

The charities that the royals choose to get involved with reflect their personal interests. Prince Charles has involved himself greatly with environmental organizations in the hope of saving the environment. He mentioned in a recent speech that he cares deeply about the environment in part because of his grandchildren. Prince William, on the other hand, has always been concerned with homelessness, so many of the charities he supports reflect that.

The queen has done more charitable work than any other monarch in history

Queen Elizabeth II is no stranger to charity work — she has spent more time helping others than any other monarch in the world’s history. According to The Guardian, the queen has helped raise nearly $1.8 billion during her lifetime for various charities. The queen wants everyone to live in a world where charity work is the norm, and she has become a figure head for giving back. She mainly focuses on civic issues but also spends plenty of time in the education sector. While charity work is technically voluntary, it is unheard of to be a royal and not give back.

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