[3] Appleton later had unofficial crier duties at the 2011 wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, the 2012 Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, and the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony.

Appleton gained international fame in 2013 by announcing the birth of Prince George of Cambridge from the steps of the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London.

Appleton’s decision to turn up uninvited was misconstrued by American journalists Anderson Cooper and Rachel Maddow, who describes him as a royal crier when they aired his announcements on their shows.

[6] In November 2017, Appleton – again in an unofficial capacity – announced the engagement of Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle from the gates of Kensington Palace in London.

[8] The Independent journalist Jon Stone compared Appleton's unofficial role to the presence of bishops in the House of Lords and the inability of Members of Parliaments to officially resign their seats in the House of Commons, whereas Huffington Post UK journalist Jess Brammar compared Appleton to the role of Black Rod and the corresponding spectacle relating to Black Rod's invitation to MPs to the annual Speech from the Throne.