The British royal family, headed by King Charles III, currently has 11 senior royals who perform duties and public functions. It is said that when his eldest son, Prince William, finally ascends the throne, the already streamlined royal family will appear to become even more “streamlined”, and at that time, only his three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, may join the ranks of senior royals. His estranged brother Prince Harry has nothing to do with him at all.
British media reported that it has long been speculated that William’s relatively young cousins, such as Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and even Princess Anne’s daughter, Zara Tindall, may help the royal family in an informal way in the future to make up for the lack of manpower. According to reports, sources pointed out that William is currently thinking about future plans and evaluating what he really values.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond says one royal who once played a huge role in William’s future plans has now been completely left out: his estranged brother Prince Harry.
She told The Mirror: “I don’t think Harry has any role in William’s plans anymore. It’s a sad situation because Harry was his right hand man and could have been a brother he trusted as he took on the huge responsibility of being king.” She noted: “Harry would have been very high up, a sibling, friend, supporter and advisor like Princess Royal was to King Charles. It’s a huge loss for William, but I think he’s accepted it now.”
However, another cousin who is expected to play a big role is Sarah Tindall. Bond said she could take over all matters related to royal horse racing, which would be a “clever strategy” for William.
She said: “When he becomes king, he will face a lot of pressure on affairs. If he really intends to hand over the horse racing affairs to Sarah Tindall, it will be a wonderful arrangement. If the rumours are true, it will be very suitable – like her mother, she loves horses and loves the sport; she is also very charming and well-liked, which is very suitable for this role. I don’t think William or Kate are particularly interested in the world of horse racing, so this division makes sense. Of course, I am sure they will still go to Ascot every now and then and have a good time with Sarah and Mike.”
Years ago, Prince William said that he would not be tossed and turned at night by his fate, but Jenny added: “If he never pondered his future role as king, he would not be a human being. He once said that he wanted to be a “small r” (small r) ) to perform his duties, this small sentence is full of meaning. Although he has great respect for his grandmother and has learned a lot of wisdom about his future destiny from her, I think he will continue the style of his father Charles: not just a symbolic leader or nominal patron, but a real commitment to social issues and helping all sectors to work together to find practical solutions. “
Bond said, “William is concerned about bigger social issues: homelessness, mental health and environmental issues. He doesn’t just talk about these issues, but also does it. He is full of optimism and positive energy, constantly trying to promote change, even if it can’t be completely solved at present, but at least it is moving in the right direction. He believes that “doing something is better than doing nothing”, and I think he will continue to act in this way when he becomes king in the future-within the scope of the role.” Of course, all this needs to maintain a delicate balance. Bond believes that the key is how to strike a balance between promoting modernization and maintaining tradition.
She said: “I don’t think he would be comfortable with all the pomp and ceremony of the royal family, although he may still retain the solemn atmosphere brought by major military events such as Trooping the Colour. But I can’t imagine his coronation ceremony will be like his father or grandmother’s – to be honest, it’s really exaggerated and even a little bizarre.”
Bond believes that Crown Prince William will aim to be a modern monarch. “He must strike a balance between modernization and royal dignity. On the one hand, the royal family must be able to be close to the people, mingle with young people, take selfies, interact and play; but on the other hand, it must also maintain the solemnity as an institution. But I believe that in the future we will see a very friendly king – even if he has wealth and elite status.”
He also believes that William will be a good monarch in the future. “He once said: “If I can’t make a little change in the world, then what’s the point of my existence? I think he is right. He can’t just be a symbolic figure, can’t just be a spokesperson for crisis or festive moments. He wants and needs to use his influence to make this country a better place.”
