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

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.

For all the debate surrounding a hereditary system, the lack of meritocracy and the general difficulty some have in reconciling the institution with the modern world, what’s sometimes missed is the benefit of the longevity of the crown.

We were reminded of this earlier this year with the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, who for 70 years was ever-present in our lives. He developed an infamously gruff style and a worldview focused on young people’s emotional and physical wellbeing. There are likely few in the world who can truly say they enjoyed their Duke of Edinburgh award, but it’s internationally recognised and has a definite logic behind it around building resilience. These are the types of things that most politicians can pay lip service to but cannot hold and nurture and devote significant amounts of time towards.

The Prince of Wales, too, has shown leadership on many issues because he had the means and the vision to make a difference. It was not so long ago that his organic farming methods were mocked and he was dismissed as a bit of an entitled quack, but time and effort meant the world was able to catch up with him. How many other leaders can take those risks and be proved right?

We forget, as patrons of charities, the royals are often at the coalface of an issue. Sure, wherever they go, people will turn out in their Sunday best, but they would have seen plenty of tragedy and probably heard their fair share of harrowing stories. They are more hands-on than they are given credit for.

Perhaps more impressive is the creation of structures that support the long term nature of their goals. Trusts and foundations are smart ways of ensuring funding and demand huge amounts of time and energy to manage. These entities create a solid basis for the future and create an important long-term ecosystem for charities and others to build projects around. It gives certainty in a sector that often faces a precarious existence.

The mystique of the monarchy is such that word leaders are still desperate for visits and invitations – because this star staying power is something to be associated with. Royals have the power to convene, not just for charitable causes but are internationally recognised symbols of authority.

Of course, they are not everyone’s cup of tea and resentment brews around their privilege, but they also, largely, display great responsibility and self-sacrifice. There is real thoughtfulness in what they do because the job is for life, and there is still a role for that continuity in today’s Britain.