The ‘non working’ member of the Royal Family who has actually carried out engagements quietly for years

While Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have royal titles, they’re not ‘working’ royals and all indications are that they won’t ever take on that role. However, one close relation of The King is taking on plenty of responsibilities – he’s just very quiet about it and it’s brought him a great deal of royal approval.

Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, husband of Princess Anne and brother in law to King Charles, has been taking on a range of engagements for decades. He’s usually at the side of his wife who remains the hardest working member of the Royal Family and his duties aren’t listed separately in the Court Circular, the official record of royal engagements and events. But there’s no doubt he is a fixture at some of the biggest events in the royal calendar and he’s about to embark on another major overseas visit.

In early November, Sir Tim will accompany the Princess Royal on a six day trip to Australia and Singapore. It’s an important visit as the Princess and her husband will mark Remembrance Day while they are there. Princess Anne will lay a wreath at the Anzac Memorial and Sir Tim will be at her side.

Princess Anne’s moving gesture on anniversary of VE Day

Princess Anne is visiting to mark the 100th anniversary of the Royal Australian Corps of Signals of which she is Colonel-in-Chief. Her visit will include a series of military engagements and take the couple to Melbourne and Brisbane as well as to Sydney.

As President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Princess Anne will lay a wreath at the Sydney War Cemetery. Sir Tim was Vice Chair of the organisation for years and when he stepped down in 2019, he said it had been a privilege to work with them for so long.

However, his role with the CWGC isn’t as well known as the one his wife has held with the organisation and that appears to be the way Sir Tim likes things. Over the past years, he has taken on a wide range of responsibilities without seeking the limelight. Which is perhaps why he never attracts those random rushes about being a full time working royal that seem to follow Beatrice and Eugenie.

However, Sir Tim’s brother-in-law, King Charles III, clearly thinks highly of him – earlier this year he made him Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, a rare and very special honour.

The history of the special honour given to Sir Tim Laurence by King Charles III

Sir Tim is also regularly included in major events like Trooping the Colour. He’s been a fixture on the Buckingham Palace balcony for big moments like that for years and was alongside official working royals for other appearances there including after the 80th anniversary commemorations for VE Day and during the Coronation celebrations. He was also included in the official family portraits following the crowning of King Charles and Queen Camilla.

Sir Tim’s inclusion in details of the upcoming royal trip again indicate that his presence is well respected by the Royal Family and deemed a vital part of the visit by them.

Princess Anne and Sir Tim head to Australia on November 8 and after their stay in that country, they will travel to Singapore where they will help mark  60 years of diplomatic relations with the UK. The visit is being made at the request of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

There will be meetings with the President and with the Prime Minister of Singapore as well as a visit to Kranji War Memorial.

It’s another indication of how important this visit is and Sir Tim is taking it on alongside his wife. Away from the headlines, the constant conversations and the controversy, one non working royal really is putting in a shift.