The Prince and Princess of Wales released personal statements in 13 words ahead of their return to royal duties. The couple, alongside their three children, spent the last weekend on their annual trip to Balmoral with the rest of the royals. It comes just before the royal kids head back to school next week. In a message shared on their social media platforms, they’ve wished the very best of luck to Team GB athletes competing in the Paralympics in Paris. Though the Wales are huge sports fans, they did not travel to the games. They featured alongside celebrities in a video congratulating the sportsmen and women for their performance.

Being the future of the monarchy is nothing new to William and Catherine, as they have chosen since their marriage to focus on their roles. William is, of course, the monarchy’s literal future as the heir to the throne, but his wife is also a key player. The enigmatic and elegant Princess of Wales is integral to the future of the monarchy. She’s even ranked third behind William and King Charles in the royal power rankings. Her absence from the royal fold for six months has only served to show how important she is. Without her, the royal family doesn’t have much to offer in terms of razzle-dazzle. People even labeled Trooping the Colour the monarchy’s best day since the coronation because Catherine was there.

She has revitalized the royal family, similar to the days of her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana. In return, she’s paid handsomely for her work for the crown. Although Princess Catherine’s yearly salary is tied to Prince William’s, the value she brings to the royal family has no price tag. The royal family released the Duchy of Cornwall’s integrated annual report, revealing the financial statement of Prince William and Kate Middleton, showing how their money is spent and earned from March 2023 to March 2024. The Duchy earned around £26.6 million, or over $30 million USD.

Therefore, while The Prince and Princess of Wales do not receive actual paychecks for their royal roles, the Duchy of Cornwall pays for all their expenses. As William, that money can be used to fund his family’s public, charitable, and private activities. The Wales were paid the equivalent of at least 635 nurses. And remember when, two weeks ago, the Princess appeared at the Wimbledon men’s finals? She and her husband have earned nearly $1.6 million since then.

Speaking of Catherine’s yearly earnings, there are plenty of things you supposedly can’t put a price on—happiness, good health. What about a princess? Like, a really, really good princess? Absolutely, and that particular number is nothing short of astronomical. For nearly two decades, the King in Waiting’s removal of Elliott marks a noteworthy shift since the designer began her role when the then Prince Charles, as Duke of Cornwall, ran the Duchy. Elliott was hired by the Prince of Wales following his 2005 marriage to Camilla, but William’s parting of ways with Annabel is no great surprise to his friends.

The Duchy is always at the current Prince of Wales’s private estate. This means that it was formerly the property of the then Prince Charles and now belongs to William. King Charles, who has long desired a more streamlined royal family, agreed to the reorganization proposal put forth by The Prince and Princess of Wales. This strategy includes three key elements designed to strengthen the monarchy’s significance and ensure its long-term financial viability. If the name is familiar to royal watchers, it’s because the Van Cutsem family has regularly featured in accounts of royal life. His father, Hugh Van Cutsem, who died in 2013 at the age of 72, was a friend and neighbor of Charles, thanks to his Norfolk estate, Hillboro House. Van Cutsem Jr., VC to his friends, is a chartered surveyor who, to be fair, has built a distinguished career in property and investment, although it is undeniably his close connection to the royal family that garners attention.