Prince William Reportedly Finds a Royal Tradition 'Slightly Embarrassing' — and May Ditch It as King
Prince William is reported to be quietly preparing to trim some of the monarchy’s more theatrical traditions, starting with the ones that require him to step out in velvet robes and plumed hats. Seemingly, he might be a fan of many things, but fancy dress is not one of them. “I think it’s safe to say that change is on my agenda. Change for good,” William recently said in a conversation with Eugene Levy, in The Reluctant Traveller. “And I embrace that and I enjoy that change — I don’t fear it. That’s the bit that excites me, the idea of being able to bring some change.”
This idea of change may not apply to just policy and protocol but to pegeantry itself. As journalist Melissa Twigg observed in The Telegraph, “One area that is ripe for William’s scalpel is the monarchy’s obsession with costume.” For all his composure, William often looks visibly uneasy during Garter Day, the annual royal ceremony that sees members of the Order of the Garter parade through Windsor Castle in grand medieval-style robes and feathered headgear.
Even one of William’s friends has confessed to Twigg, saying, “He’s never looked more uncomfortable in his life.” Twigg points out that William has "almost no appetite for theatrical clothes,” describing how many of the outfits worn by senior royals have "remained suspended in amber since the Victorian era.”
Royal expert Ingrid Seward also agrees: “I think William finds some of the pomp and circumstance, and particularly some of the more elaborate outfits, slightly embarrassing,” she told The Telegraph, adding that he would “be relieved to be able to tone it down” finally when the Crown rests on his head. Insiders have noted that the future King prefers things a little less stiff, a little more human.
Seward also hinted that even Garter Day itself could be due for a rethink. “It is a big procession, walking down the hill into St. George’s Chapel with the monarchy arriving by carriage,” she explained. “I think he might want to put more emphasis on the people who are getting the honors rather than the royals.” In other words, less spectacle, more substance.
William’s discomfort with over-the-top formality isn’t just limited to his own wardrobe. As Duke of Cornwall, William has already loosened the rules within his own offices, reportedly telling staff that ties are optional. Seward revealed, "[The King] even has his paper napkins stamped with his royal cypher. I don’t think William is going to want to do that. Maybe he would just keep his father’s cypher, but I can’t see him getting all the uniforms changed, and I think he might get rid of a lot of the unnecessary decorations on plates and glasses."
William, it seems, looks determined to build a monarchy that commands respect, but without the weight of outdated pomp and circumstance. After all, to his generation, velvet robes and ostrich feathers might look more 'fancy dress party' than 'state dignity.' Seward opined, “I have a feeling that he thinks it all looks a bit ridiculous, like they are in fancy dress.”