Queen promotes the work of minor royals post Megxit: Her Majesty’s Instagram account shares a rare photo of her cousin the Duchess of Gloucester at an engagement

• Royal Family Instagram account shared a photo of the Duchess of Gloucester 
• The Duchess, 73, is married to the Queen's cousin, the Duke of Gloucester, 75
• It's unusual as account usually focuses on Queen's children and grandchildren 
• Comes as the royal family adapts to life after Harry and Meghan's departure

The Queen has promoted the work of her cousin, a minor working royal, as the monarchy adapts in the wake of 'Megxit'. 

The official royal family Instagram account shared a rare photo of the Duchess of Gloucester, 73, wife of the Queen's cousin the Duke of Gloucester, 75, at a military engagement this week.

This post is notable as the account typically focuses on the work of the Queen, her children and grandchildren, namely Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex, the Cambridges and the Sussexes.

The last post about the Duchess was in September, when she and her husband reopened The Princess Alice garden at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, after a design. 

However the Court Circular reveals the royal has carried out a significant number of engagements since then, including one at Kensington Palace earlier this month. 

The timing of the post perhaps signals that the monarchy is seeking to remind the public of the work of minor royals like the Gloucesters who regularly carry out duties with little publicity, as it adapts to the departure of three senior royals: Prince Andrew, Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex.

The Duchess of Gloucester's valuable, under-the-radar work was praised by supporters, who described the Duchess as 'gracious' and 'hard-working'.    

One wrote: 'This quiet unassuming Duchess has been in the background working away for years. She’s lovely.'

Another posted: 'A member of the royal family who just gets on with her work without fuss and with little public recognition.'

A third added: 'Lovely photo ... so nice to see all these other royals!'   

Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle, 38, are living in Canada with their nine-month-old son Archie after announcing they would step back from their roles as senior members of the royal family. 

From the spring the couple will stop using their HRH titles and withdraw from royal duties, including official military appointments.

However the couple will be allowed to maintain their private patronages and associations.