The British Royal Family is composed of King Charles III, his close relations, and their extended family. The official role of the royal family is to carry out public engagements, including ceremonial, public, and charitable duties. Due to the royal family’s massive role in the public affairs of the United Kingdom, it is subject to extensive media coverage. Aspects ranging from health issues, to relationships, to weddings are all highly scrutinized by the British press.
As such, the members of the royal family are not granted a lot of privacy, with their personal affairs and activities always subject to public scrutiny. Some examples of this coverage include Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s abdication from the royal family, Prince Andrew’s friendship with sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, and most recently, Princess Kate’s cancer diagnosis announcement.
There are still both benefits and detriments that stem from the media’s relationship with the royal family. A lot of the Crown's influence and communication comes from its coverage by the press, as several of its members are basically celebrities. Yet there are also downsides to the royal family’s constant exposure to the spotlight. For example, rumors surrounded Princess Kate’s edited photos and alleged body double before she revealed her cancer diagnosis. Misinformation like this can be harmful to the family’s image and possibly their mental health.
You may be wondering why the royal family even still exists. In many ways, the family is only a figurehead and is not actually in charge of governing the country. However, the monarchy is still a symbol of Britain, and has historically provided national unity and identity. It is also estimated that the royal family generates around 150 million euros annually, which provides a significant amount of economic benefit to the nation. On the other hand, citizens of the UK have to pay taxes to support the family, but only around 1.29 pounds annually per citizen.
In conclusion, there are many opinions surrounding both the issues of the monarchy’s lack of privacy and whether its existence is still necessary. Personally, I feel that the royal family should be given more space to live their lives and should not be scrutinized to the point that they feel forced to share private information to dispel rumors and misinformation. Regarding the point of the monarchy, I believe that it does not really cause any huge harm and can bring several positives to the country and its people.