Queen and Prince William carried out half 2020 engagements virtually

Lifestyle

We’re royally thankful for Zoom! Queen and Prince William carried out almost half of their engagements virtually in 2020 – while Prince Charles made the most in-person public appearances

  • Analysis by MailOnline of Court Circular shows how royals adapted to pandemic
  • Of Prince Charles 227 engagements, he carried out 70 appointments virtually 
  • Out of a total 638 engagements by 5 most senior royals, 245 were virtual
  • Prince Charles was the most visible, while Queen halved public appearances 

The Covid-19 pandemic has made royal engagements with huge crowds of wellwishers impossible, but The Firm has found  way to adapt, with even the Queen, 94, embracing technology to meet people via video link. 

An analysis of the five most senior royals’ engagements for 2020 shows that Her Majesty carried out almost half of her appointments for the year listed on the Court Circular by telephone or video link. 

Of Prince Charles 227 engagements and royal tours, he carried out 70 appointments virtually, while Prince William had almost half of his 181 engagements virtually, while his wife Kate Middleton did 20 of her 68 total public appearances virtually. 

Out of a total 638 engagements carried out by the Queen, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, 245 were carried out virtually. 

MailOnline’s research shows that Sophie, Countess of Wessex carried out 78 engagements in 2020, with 45 of these being conducted on the phone or via video link.  

Meanwhile, it was found that Princess Anne had carried out a huge 207 engagements making 95 virtual appearances with the many charities and organisatoins of which she is patron. 

The Queen held her first virtual diplomatic audience from Windsor Castle in December, where foreign ambassadors in bent into low bows and deep curtseys from Buckingham Palace via video call

The Queen (pictured), 94, has paid tribute to the ‘wonderful’ efforts of Commonwealth volunteers during a virtual video call this week

She managed to carry out one of the most ambitious royal tuours of the year, visiting Sierra Leone in January to focus on her work against sex crimes in conflict zones.

Overall, Prince Charles seemed to be the most visible senior royal throughout 2020, with the highest total overall engagements – tallied at around 227.

His wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, made a total of 47 public appearances throughout the year. 

Overall the Queen more than halved her number of public appearances after carrying out an estimated 295 engagements in 2019, before the pandemic hit. 

The Prince of Wales spoke of the ‘debt of gratitude’ the nation owes the Windrush generation in a video call in June 2020

The Duke of Cambridge, pictured at the London Palladium on December 11, carried out half of his engagements virtually this year 

Almost half of the Duchess of Cambridge’s engagements in 2020 were carried on via video and phone calls rather than in person. Pictured during a visit to Batley Community Centre during a tour of the UK that took her and the Duke of Cambridge to West Yorkshire 

The Countess of Wessex meeting students on a visit to a secondary school on the final day of her Sierra Leone tour in January 2020

Charlie Mackesy, author and illustrator of best-seller The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse, speaking on a video call to the Duchess of Cornwall to launch her online Reading Room

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