King Charles undergoes cancer treatment and Kate Middleton recovers from abdominal surgery, many are pondering how the dynamics within the royal family might have been significantly altered if Meghan Markle and Prince Harry had not decided to step back from their official roles.

As King Charles undergoes cancer treatment and Kate Middleton recovers from abdominal surgery, many are wondering how things may have been drastically different for the royal family had Meghan Markle and Prince Harry not stepped back from their working roles.

“This is a slimmed-down monarchy in the ways the King could never have anticipated. This puts into much sharper focus what a terrible mistake it was for Harry to leave,” royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith tells PEOPLE exclusively in this week’s cover story. “If he and Meghan had stayed in Britain and stuck with their jobs, they could be very vital players right now.”

“They desperately need him, and nobody could have foreseen the set of circumstances that would expose that so dramatically,” adds Catherine Mayer, the author of Charles: The Heart of a King.

Over a year and a half after the death of Queen Elizabeth, who provided seven decades of stability to her family and the nation until her death at age 96 in September 2022, the royals appear vulnerable. Along with the absence of Prince Harry, 39, and Meghan, 42, following their decision to step back from their royal roles in 2020, the current onslaught of issues feels unprecedented.

King Charles, 75, has postponed public-facing duties while receiving cancer treatment, while the Princess of Wales, 42, has also been outside of the spotlight while recovering from abdominal surgery in January.Though Kensington Palace said Princess Kate was unlikely to return to public duty until after Easter, the lack of clarity sparked numerous conspiracy theories about her health and whereabouts. In response to the speculation, the palace released a rare second statement reiterating the initial timeline for her return to work.