Royal Expert Reveals How Prince William Will ‘Work Smarter’ Than King Charles When He Takes the Throne
Prince William has hinted at his intent to step away from the pomp and pageantry of the monarchy, instead centering his reign on empathy and purposeful leadership. The Prince of Wales has reportedly begun laying the groundwork for a modernized, ‘slimmed-down’ monarchy, designed to reflect contemporary values. Reflecting on the Prince's future reign, royal expert Richard Palmer believes William is determined to 'work smarter' and save more money than King Charles, as the monarchy is constantly under fire for its frivolous spending.
Palmer suggested that William's smart approach to a ‘slimmed-down monarchy’ could reduce overall costs and lessen reliance on taxpayer funding. He wrote for The i Paper, "A smaller number of working royals doing fewer engagements should mean fewer staff – the couple [William and Kate Middleton] currently employ 68, about half the number who worked for Charles at his peak as Prince of Wales." He added, "It could also mean a real-term drop in the cost of the monarchy, and possibly savings for the taxpayer." Palmer also highlighted the Palace’s concerns over the 2027 Sovereign Grant review, following criticism of its costly traditions in the previous report.
The royal expert elaborated on William's vision for a monarchy with fewer working royals. He wrote, "Under King William, the number of working Royals is expected to fall to five or six, around half the number now and a third of the total at times during the reign of [Queen] Elizabeth II." A royal source added, "William won’t have cousins helping him like the Queen did. So he’ll have to work smarter." Palmer believed that the Prince would prioritize short-term campaigns and events uniting multiple charities, rather than mirroring Charles’s ties to hundreds of organizations. He also noted that William’s upcoming move to Forest Lodge would make him the first King in over a thousand years not to reside in a palace or castle.
Palmer also revealed that the Prince of Wales reportedly does not intend to grant working royal status to Prince Harry’s children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. According to GB News, William allegedly plans to strip Harry, Meghan Markle, and their two children of their HRH titles once he becomes King. Since the Sussexes stepped down as senior royals in 2020, neither they nor their children can perform official duties on behalf of the monarch. This comes after an insider had claimed that Harry wished to retain the HRH titles for Archie and Lilibet in their passports, allowing them to decide for themselves later whether they want to take on royal roles, a move that reportedly prompted William's fury.
Back in 2024, William spoke to reporters about his future reign shortly after his trip to South Africa. As reported by The Telegraph, he said, "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... to give you more understanding around it, I'm doing it with maybe a smaller R in the royal, if you like..." He stressed that the pomp and protocol associated with royal life do not agree with his values.