Prince William could be eyeing up a major shakeup to the British monarchy when he becomes King, a royal commentator has claimed. The Prince of Wales’s vision for the monarchy has come back into the spotlight after a video emerged of him speaking to Hollywood star Eugene Levy on his AppleTV+ series, The Reluctant Traveler, about his plans for the future.
In his most personal and wide-ranging interview yet, the heir set out his approach to the monarchy, saying “I want to question things more”, but central to his world was Kate and their three children, “the most important thing in my life is family”. He referred to being Prince of Wales and king as a “job” and said he takes his “roles” and “responsibilities” seriously but it was important “you don’t feel they own you – you have to own them”.
William said: “I think it’s safe to say that change is on my agenda – change for good. And I embrace that and I enjoy that change – I don’t fear it. That’s the bit that excites me, is the idea of being able to bring some change. Not overly radical change, but changes that I think need to happen.”
Now, a royal commentator has weighed in on what potential changes William could bring as King.
Cameron Walker, GB News’s royal correspondent, claimed that major events in the royal calendar, like Trooping the Colour, coronations and royal weddings, will most likely remain, but with a modern twist.
He said: “I have it on very good authority that the Prince of Wales plans to have a coronation when the time comes and, yes, he will be wearing a crown. However, it is expected to look a little different from his father’s Coronation – just as His Majesty’s differed from Queen Elizabeth II’s.”
He added that other fixtures in the royal calendar “are also safe” but could be scaled down in terms of pomp and pageantry, in line with William’s aim to modernise the monarchy.
But he warned: “This could run the risk of upsetting traditionalists and paying tourists.”
During his chat to Mr Levy, William also spoke about keeping royal tradition, explaining: “”I think it’s very important that tradition stays, and tradition has a huge part in all of this but there’s also points where you look at tradition and go ‘is that still fit for purpose today?
“Is that still the right thing to do? Are we still doing and having the most impact we could be having?’ So, I like to question things is what I’m really getting at.”
William has already made major changes this year to the Duchy of Cornwall estate, which he inherited from the King in 2022. The Duchy’s income funds the heir and his family’s public and private lives.
The prince ordered the waiving of rent for grassroots organisations and offered discounts for local charities after the estate was criticised for charging these public bodies, as well as charities, schools, and the armed forces.
Mr Walker questioned whether William will bring in similar reforms to the Duchy of Lancaster when he’s King or the running of the Royal Household.
He said: “It is possible the Prince of Wales could be considering cutting the number of royal staff; sources remain tight-lipped on this. In a cost-of-living crisis, valets and full-time footmen may appear outdated in a modern monarchy.
“Devout monarchists, however, will likely argue that all traditions are part of the institution’s unique selling point on the international stage, keeping Great Britain firmly on the map.”
He concluded: “Prince William is still only heir to the throne, but choosing to talk about his plan for change is an opportunity for him and his team to assess the public mood before he’s propelled into the top job.
“One day, however, it is inevitable Prince William will ascend the throne – when that happens, I suspect the monarchy will receive its biggest shake-up in centuries.”
Episode four of The Reluctant Traveller With Eugene Levy, called Living the Royal Life in the UK, premieres on Friday, 3rd October on Apple TV+.
