All about Retirement in the British Royal Family!

The British Royal Family is in the news all the time, and that is because the whole world wants to know about them and their life. While they are people too, just like us, they are still different because everything they live their lives to retire sets them apart. Most of us plan our entire life around working, earning a living, saving up, and retiring in comfort.

However, the royals have a whole different life plan ahead of them. The highest-ranked men in the royal family must serve in the army for a while. The Queen joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) in 1945 when she was Princess Elizabeth and became the first woman from the British Royal Family to be part of the armed forces as a full-time member.

How Does Retirement Work?

Retirement does not mean much to the Royals unless they are serving as the King or Queen. And we do not often hear about the other members of the family retiring. But in 2017, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, gracefully retired from the public’s eye at 96! Although his retirement did not change things much, Queen Elizabeth is the sole Sovereign ruler. Since Philip walked the aisle with the Queen way back in 1947, he completed 22,000 royal engagements over the decades. Prince Philip also went on over 600 solo trips around the world, delivering 5,500 speeches. He has been active throughout his life and hung up his boots only when he thought it was necessary, and that’s how things work at the Royal Family.

How Prince Philip Spent His Retirement Days

In a television interview in June 2011, Prince Philip spoke about his plans to serve the Crowns. He was clear that retirement wasn’t an option he was considering any time soon. He served six years extra until he hung up his boots in the summer of 2017. Of course, he kept the queen in the loop. And the queen understood that he has done his part and wanted to relax and spend time with himself. After the summer break in Balmoral, there was a new arrangement, and the queen went back to living in London while the Duke settled at the Wood Farm.

The Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate is also known as the home of Prince John, George V’s, and Queen Mary’s son. The Duke enjoyed his time at the Wood Farm as he rode in a carriage ride, dabbled in painting, and indulged in reading. He was fond of reading history over novels. He regularly exchanged book suggestions with a friend. His was a happy, relaxed, and fuss-free retirement. All was well and good until he took ill with age-related complications in 2020. While the world and the Queen awaited with bated breath for his return to the palace, he breathed his last on April 9, 2021. He was the longest-serving consort of reigning British monarch and the longest living male member of the family.

Is the Queen Planning a Retirement?

Queen Elizabeth is in her nineties now, and she still holds her fort without showing any signs of slowing down or retirement. Her resilience has been impeccable, and she has been on the throne since 1952. She is one of the finest examples of the longest-ruling monarch in British history. While the Queen is allowed to retire, she has voiced it on several forums that she will continue to serve the people as long as she lives.

The Queen is still active and continues to drive herself around and inspires people around the world. We could say that she is a great example of age is just a number. Longevity is in the blood of the royal family as Elizabeth’s mother lived till she turned 101. She still makes appearances and has plenty of staff as support. Sources from the Palace suggest that she would return to her Royal duties after ten days of mourning of the demise of her Prince. And this means that she will not abdicate and retire.

The Royals are always in the spotlight, and sometimes it may be hard for them. They have to continue working in some cases even if they are past their prime. But for someone like Queen Elizabeth, it has been a boon in disguise as she has thrived in the roles that she has played. And we hope that she continues to live a long, healthy, and happy life in the years ahead.