Talk of Meghan and Harry may dominate the agenda – but there’s a place for the royals in modern Britain

They are not everyone’s cup of tea, but there is real thoughtfulness in what they do, writes Salma Shah

Queen Elizabeth II at Royal Ascot earlier this month (Action Images/Reuters)

Among all the hoopla about Team Sussex – Harry and Meghan – registering baby name internet domains, the royal family has been going about business as usual with its customary efficiency. Exactly the kind of stiff-upper-lip behaviour one not only expects but grudgingly admires about Britain's premiere clan.

One of the most striking of recent outings was the Duchess of Cambridge’s launch for the Royal Foundation’s Centre for Early Childhood. It’s a long-term research project focusing on the impact of early years on childhood development and beyond. The aims of the project are compassionate and driven by research and data, which is reminiscent of many ministerial announcements of days gone by. Early years intervention and prevention are the go-to trends in good policymaking, cementing the duchess’s status as “High Priestess” of centrist mums everywhere.

Of course, the critical difference between the duchess and a government frontbencher is that Kate has the time on her side. The Foundation’s announcement speaks of her “lifelong commitment”, building on the decade she has already scored as a working royal. It’s the type of long-term work that starts with lots of attention but can be easily lost without the patronage and push of a high-profile figure.