Friday 9 September 2022 11:13 PM Will and Kate's duties will change under their new titles, explain REBECCA ... trends now
William will have more time to focus on his new role now he no longer has to nursemaid his younger brother. His plan? To bring much more optimism to 'dreary' public life
By Rebecca English, Royal Editor for the Daily Mail
All eyes may be on our new King and Queen, but another significant change in national life will warrant the public's attention.
For the first time in more than 60 years, the country has a new Prince and Princess of Wales. In his address to the nation last night, King Charles III announced that William is now officially the Prince of Wales and Kate the Princess of Wales.
And I am told the heir to the throne, as he now is, has a good idea of how he wants to approach his new role.
'The duke was incredibly close to his grandmother, he looked up to her like no one else. And that service and duty that she epitomised is something that will very much be a characteristic of his future role,' one source close to William said. 'He learned from the best.'
The heir to the throne, 40, is very keen on his initiatives, such as the Royal Foundation, and his major project, the Earthshot Prize, and wants to pass them on to his own children when he becomes king one day
Knowing this day would come sooner or later, I spent months talking to William's inner circle to find out what kind of Prince of Wales he will be.
Practically, of course, the biggest change will be his funding.
He will inherit from his father the £1.2billion Duchy of Cornwall, an estate comprising land holdings and investments, which has kept successive Princes of Wales in small change since the 14th century.
Last year the profits from this, which can now be used by William, amounted to £23million – although Charles always chose to pay tax voluntarily on it. Instead of having to go cap in hand to his father for funding, William will be the master of all he surveys.
The Duchy is one thing on which both William and his father – who have found themselves at loggerheads on many issues over the years – have agreed.
William, 40, has admired his father's careful stewardship of the estate, and Charles is largely considered to be an excellent landlord by his tenants, setting up hardship funds and keeping a close eye on rents.
Like his father, William is determined to continue to push issues including the environment, mental health and homelessness
William has also spent the last few years 'future-proofing' his charitable empire, the Royal Foundation, and ensuring his major project, the Earthshot Prize, is able to operate independently without his day-to-day involvement so that he can take on new affairs of state.
I am told he wants to hand these initiatives on to his own children when he becomes king one day. Like his father, William is determined to continue to push issues including the environment, mental health and homelessness.
'He will remain very hands-on,' says a friend. 'He believes that as Prince of Wales he can continue to make a significant contribution, particularly in the area of housing and homelessness. He knew he needs to tread carefully but he won't be silent. He's inherited a lot of his father's campaigning zeal.
'He shares his father's willingness to speak if there's something he believes in for the long term. The Prince of Wales was ridiculed for his views on climate change and look at him now. William wants to bring that to his own work.'
The friend added: 'He's not going to be happy if there's some big challenge that's not getting proper attention because of his position he will have to say something. Of course he will be very careful. He doesn't like courting controversy but he is not afraid of taking risks.'
That doesn't mean William and Kate will be stomping around the public arena, hectoring and lecturing on any subject that draws their attention.
Despite their desire to speak up on issues they believe in, William and Kate will not be stomping around the public arena, hectoring and lecturing on any subject that draws their attention
A friend said: 'He knows that he and the duchess are going to have to cover a lot more ground and pick and choose their causes carefully. There are, to put it delicately, significantly fewer members of the Royal Family than there were previously and ten times the need for their help.'
Friends say William is also keen to be defined by a 'sense of optimism'. 'He thinks that is the essence of the job of the Royal Family. He and Catherine both feel there's not a lot of optimism in public life and it can feel pretty dreary at times,' one former aide tells me.
'There are some incredible people in our country doing amazing things and they believe it's their job to counter pessimism and highlight the good.'
But how will they do this with fewer royals in the mix? What about the Duke of York's eviction from public life and Harry and Meghan's acrimonious departure. These are blows to their future plans, surely?
'Clearly it's not what they had envisaged,' says one close adviser. Interestingly, much as he loves his cousins, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, William believes they should not have a role in public life.
'He adores his cousins and values their love and support hugely. He is always telling his team to make sure they are invited to the big occasions and is focused on making sure his team fosters a good relationship with them,' says a member of his inner circle. 'But like his father he believes a slimmed down monarchy is the way forward.'
Friends say William is also keen to be defined by a 'sense of optimism', which he thinks is the essence of the job of the Royal Family
However, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie are still very much part of the plan moving forward. 'He has so much respect for his aunt's diligence and work ethic and is incredibly close to the Wessexes. They are very much part of the future,' a source confirms.
By the sounds of it, uncle Andrew is very much not part of this plan.
'Frankly, he would have pushed for things to have happened a lot faster than they did, just like the Prince of Wales would have if they could have operated freely. But it was complicated with the Queen and her son,' I am told.
It certainly sounds as if William is ready to be Prince of Wales. A former member of his agrees: 'Absolutely, the mechanisms have been in place for a long time but his head is in the right place now too.
'A couple of years ago I think it's fair to say he wouldn't have been ready. He is now. What has happened this week is so much bigger than anyone can imagine but the households have worked hard to get their houses in order.
'For a long time the family have been pulling together in the right direction. Family crises can make or break you. The debacle [with Harry and Meghan and Andrew] seems to have made this one.'
The main thing is that William, with the support of his wife, is ready for his new role. Somehow, among the outpouring of grief, the future feels in good hands
Another source adds: 'When the whole Harry and Meghan show came on the scene in 2018-2019, a lot of time, energy and emotion was
