Prince William Laid Out His Plans for the Monarchy — and It's Exactly What Prince Harry Hopes For
Prince William has spelled out the kind of monarch he wants to be, and in a surprising twist, his vision appears to echo the very ideas his estranged brother, Prince Harry, has also long championed. Seemingly, at the core of William’s plan is empathy, modernization, and breaking free from the rigid pomp that has defined generations of royals.
Speaking to reporters late last year, shortly after a visit to South Africa, the Prince of Wales offered a glimpse into his thinking. “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,” he said. “To give you more 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.” For William, that means stripping away the grandeur that feels outdated. “I’m going to throw empathy in there,” he explained. “And I think we could do with some more empathetic leadership around the world.”
William reportedly wishes for a deliberate move away from the ceremonial traditions his father, King Charles, and grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, leaned on to embody royal duty. The Prince allegedly believes that ribbon-cuttings and ceremonial appearances no longer resonate in the way they once did. Instead, his focus is on what he described as "impact, philanthropy, collaboration, convening, and helping people." Insiders told The Telegraph that William has been 'doing a lot of thinking' about how to reshape the monarchy for the next generation. He also plans to switch things up for his coronation.
Royal watchers also note that William has been careful to frame his thinking within the limits of the monarchy’s role to be apolitical. Like his father and grandmother before him, he has hosted global leaders while maintaining a strictly neutral stance. This restraint, experts say, will be vital to preserving the Crown’s credibility in an era where politics has grown increasingly volatile. “[William] has already established a reputation for diplomacy,” royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told the Daily Mail. He credited the Prince with handling presidents and statesmen with 'dignity and grace,' and suggested that reputation will serve him well “in the unpredictable era of Donald Trump and beyond.” At the same time, Fitzwilliams said, William is eager to make his own mark as sovereign. That means updating the monarchy where necessary, while “maintaining relevant traditions which are valuable.”
Interestingly, William’s emphasis on empathy and challenging the status quo within the Firm mirrors a theme Harry has been championing for years. At The Diana Award in May, the Duke of Sussex praised the young leaders being honored for their compassion and vision. “From a younger generation standpoint, in an apathetic world, there’s more empathy in this generation than I’ve ever seen before,” he said. “It’s the empathy, the authenticity, the truth, the honesty, and the fearlessness…” Harry further noted how young people are already driving change. “This generation isn’t waiting for permission to lead — they are already doing it,” he said. “What sets them apart is… their refusal to settle for the status quo… If we’re serious about a better future, we need to stop underestimating them and start listening.”