The Prince and Princess of Wales are often commended for their modern approach to royal life, be it through their relatable discussions about parenting or their candid interactions with members of the public. While Princess Kate is said to hold the future of the monarchy in her hands, royal experts have claimed that Prince William will be the "toughest ruler" the royals have "ever seen".
In a new report outlining William's future as King and the changes he intends to make, those close to the Prince told The Times that he will be responsible for "an evolution not a revolution". One friend stated: "He’s definitely been thinking a lot about how things will evolve over time. When the moment comes, he’ll want to do it his way: genuinely, not just following a script." According to the source, William is "not afraid to dig into the details, ask the tough questions, and figure out what actually works today."
In the past, royal insiders have discussed the ways in which the Prince and Princess of Wales are reshaping the monarchy with a modern approach. As well as being vocal advocates for important issues such as mental health, the couple's "new attitude" has been a focal point in recent weeks and their relaxed public personas have cemented them as one of the nation's favourite royal couples.
The source added that William hopes for the monarchy to have "even more impact" and "remain relevant" under his leadership, as he wants to make sure that the institution is "fit for purpose in the modern era". How this may look is still unclear, but he reportedly wishes to "look under the hood" at royal spending and the cost of the monarchy on taxpayers, as he is "mindful of how much the monarchy costs".
Last year, an investigation from Channel 4's Dispatches divided the public after analysing royal finances, claiming that private royal estates were "profiting" from charities and public bodies. According to one insider, William is keen to "take every stone and look underneath it" to determine the "footprint of the institution". This extends to his future coronation, which is reportedly likely to be a more stripped back affair than his recent predecessors, with one source claiming: "Look at the coronations of medieval kings, they were staggeringly simple. Keep things that are pertinent to today, that reflect diversity and get back to the core of it.”
Per his former communications secretary Jason Knauf claimed that when William is King, it "will feel different but not jarring". During an interview last year, William confirmed that he intends to carve his own path, telling the BBC: "I can only describe what I'm trying to do, and that's I'm trying to do it differently and I'm trying to do it for my generation. And to give you more an understanding around it, I'm doing it with maybe a smaller R in the royal, if you like, that's maybe a better way of saying it."
