Prince William Plans Major Monarchy Shake-Up but Has to Fix a Major Issue Involving His Cousins

Prince William is reportedly rethinking his plans for a slimmed-down monarchy. Initially inspired by King Charles’s idea of having fewer working royals, the Prince of Wales has allegedly come to realize what his cousins, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, and Zara Tindall, bring to the table. Royal expert Richard Eden suggests William may scrap his plans for a streamlined model in favor of his cousin's contributions to royal duties.

The idea of a slimmed-down monarchy is reportedly seen as a way to modernize the institution and avoid public backlash over taxpayer funding. As reported by the Irish Star, Eden said on the Palace Confidential podcast, “Prince William, like his father, has always favored slim-down monarchy as the future, and what that looks like being now its just William and Catherine and their children.” The expert opined, “From what I'm hearing is that Prince William is starting to see the value of his cousins and what, in the long term, they could give.”

Eden noted that William’s late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, also heavily relied on her cousins, the Duke of Kent and the Duke of Gloucester, to undertake royal duties. Commenting on Beatrice and Eugenie’s recent royal attendance at events, he added, “This week we saw Princess Eugenie at the garden party that the Prince and Princess of Wales hosted, and we saw them there last year as well. So I think we should be able to expect some future announcements, so I think it is an exciting time for them.” Echoing Eden’s claims, Daily Mail’s royal editor, Rebecca English, also spotlighted Tindall, Princess Anne’s daughter, as a royal who has increasingly volunteered for royal duties. Tindall is also believed to have a close bond with Charles, who's reportedly impressed with her commitment to the monarchy.

English also chimed in on the potential impact a toned-down monarchy could have on the number of residences owned by the royal family. When asked about whether a leaner monarchy might lead to questions about Charles’ funding and property holdings, she responded, “We have to differentiate between what they have as a public figure and what they have privately as just a very lucky member of society, but again, it will prompt it.” She further opined, “They do have a lot of properties…That's actually a lot of money for him to find every year in terms of upkeep of these private homes.”

William’s decision to scrap his previous plans for the monarchy may also come with its own set of challenges. As reported by Hello! magazine, Beatrice and Eugenie both hold jobs outside the royal family and prefer to live life outside of the spotlight with their families. Similarly, Tindall, who is not a titled royal, is also not officially a working royal. None have sought taxpayer support, aligning with William’s vision for a leaner monarchy. However, formally recognizing their roles could raise new public expectations. The publication reports that by acknowledging the contributions of his cousins informally, William can still show appreciation without immediately shifting the structure.