4 Royal Roles Prince William Could Give Kate That Elizabeth & Charles Never Did

Princess Kate has steadily taken on more responsibility within the Royal Family, especially since becoming the Princess of Wales. But her royal career could look very different once Prince William becomes King. Queen Elizabeth and King Charles each gave Kate important roles during their reigns, but there are still some positions she has never held. And with William eventually taking the throne, he could give Kate some special powers that she never had under Elizabeth or Charles.

The Ranger of Windsor Great Park is a centuries-old royal position dating back to 1559, which involves the stewardship of the estate, including its wildlife and woodlands. Queen Elizabeth appointed Prince Philip as Ranger in 1952, and he held the position for nearly 70 years before Charles took it over in 2022. A future King William could similarly choose to appoint Kate to the role during his reign, rather than taking it on himself. She already has a strong connection to this kind of work, having co-designed the RHS Back to Nature Garden at the 2019 Chelsea Flower Show, which featured wildlife-friendly planting and spaces designed to encourage children and families to explore nature. With the Ranger role closely tied to protecting and managing Windsor Great Park, Kate could potentially take it on as a new responsibility under William.

Kate could also become a Royal Lady of the Garter under William, something she has not been given during either Queen Elizabeth's or Charles’ reigns. There is already a direct precedent for a future Queen receiving the honor, with the late Queen appointing Camilla, the then-Duchess of Cornwall, as a Royal Lady of the Garter in December 2021. The Order is personally in the Sovereign’s gift, meaning William would not need Prime Ministerial advice to make the appointment as well

The Royal British Legion could be another major patronage for Kate under William. Charles is currently the Legion’s Patron, taking over the role from Queen Elizabeth after her death, and royal patronages have historically been passed between generations of the Royal Family. The appointment is likely given that Kate already has a substantial military portfolio. She has been Colonel of the Irish Guards since 2023 and also serves as Commodore-in-Chief of the Fleet Air Arm, Colonel-in-Chief of the 1st Queen’s Dragoon Guards, and Royal Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Coningsby, alongside her existing role as Royal Honorary Air Commodore of the Air Cadets.

Kate could potentially take on a major Commonwealth sporting role under William, with Patron of Commonwealth Sport being a natural possibility. The organization is currently patronized by Charles, who took over after Elizabeth, but Kate already has a long-standing connection to both sports and the Commonwealth Games. She became Patron of SportsAid in 2013 and has since taken on several major sporting roles, including Patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, the Lawn Tennis Association, the Rugby Football Union and the Rugby Football League. Since she is already so closely involved in British sport and has represented the Royal Family at Commonwealth Games events, Kate could take on a bigger Commonwealth sporting role of her own once William becomes King.