September 6th 2023.
Charles III has worked hard since becoming King on September 8, 2022, undertaking engagements on 161 days. A new analysis shows that he has worked for more days in his first year as monarch than his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, did following her accession. Though she almost matches him in the number of days of engagements in her first 12 months, she had a lighter workload and fewer visits. His grandfather, King George VI, however, managed 183 days of engagements in his first year on the throne.
The data reveals that the types of engagements have changed over time. Charles has had 26 official audiences with the UK Prime Minister, five with Liz Truss and 21 with Rishi Sunak. While his mother had 27 audiences, all with Winston Churchill, his grandfather, King George VI, had only 12 prime ministerial audiences in the year following his becoming King.
Charles has also had many official one-to-one meetings with representatives of the government, from the most senior members of the cabinet, to ministers overseeing the Post Office and coal mines. In contrast, his mother's first year as monarch saw just a handful of meetings with government ministers. The same has been true of Charles' first year as King.
Charles has also undertaken many official visits to locations around the UK, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. He has also made two trips abroad since becoming King: a state visit to Germany in March 2023 and a private visit to Romania in June. His mother and grandfather, however, spent their first year as monarchs in the UK, with no official foreign engagements.
By counting each official visit to a separate location as one engagement, and applying the same rule to each official meeting or audience with another person or group of people, it is likely that Charles has carried out more than 550 engagements since becoming King. This is close to George VI's total of at least 570, but well ahead of Elizabeth II who carried out just over 400.
The Court Circular suggests George and Elizabeth both spent extended periods of their first year out of the public eye, either carrying out engagements behind closed doors or staying at royal residences. Charles, on the other hand, has had shorter spells at royal residences and more frequent public appearances.
Charles III has undoubtedly set an impressive pace in his first year as King. His dedication to his role is evident in the number of engagements he has completed, and his willingness to travel around the country and visit other countries. The data reveals that the roles of the monarchy, and the way it engages with the public, has changed significantly since George VI's time. Charles is, indeed, a modern monarch.
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