How Prince William Could Follow in Harry’s Footsteps With His Plans for the Royal Family
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Prince William continues to drop major hints that his time on the throne is going to look very different from King Charles III’s reign. The Prince of Wales is describing his plan as royal “with maybe a smaller ‘r.’” While that might sound like earth-shattering news to royalists who prefer that things stay the same, William might be looking to Prince Harry for a blueprint on how it is executed.
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Katie Nicholl, author of The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy and the Future of the Crown, shared her thoughts about the possible royal upheaval on The Sun‘s Royal Show. “One person who’s probably sitting there thinking ‘this is what I’ve been saying all along’ is the Duke of Sussex,” She said. “Let’s be more open, let’s show more empathy, let’s do things a little bit differently.” It’s essentially the playbook Harry and Meghan Markle asked for — and were denied — ahead of their exit from the palace.
The British press has made it almost a sport to criticize the Sussexes for their “quasi-royal tours,” but their visits to Nigeria and Colombia proved to be successful goodwill visits that promoted culture and charity. The Daily Mail believes that Harry and Meghan have become “rival royals” with their business plans, but William obviously sees some value in how they are achieving their goals.
“One of the reasons Harry felt he needed to leave was because he didn’t feel he could bend the institution the way he wanted to do things,” Nicholl added. “I think we have seen the royals take a leaf out of his book.” The royal expert also noted that William wouldn’t become “too California” even though he was influenced by Harry’s approach to royal duties.
Harry’s desire to spread the message of his successful Invictus Games and the couple’s Archewell Foundation has proven to be a winner for them. Even their critics have learned that the couple’s popularity resonates on a global scale. “What a pity it is they’ve gone. There is that Harry-shaped hole in the monarchy at this time when they are at such beleaguered circumstances,” journalist Tina Brown told the BBC in May. If only Queen Elizabeth II had accepted their “half-in, half-out” suggestion ahead of their departure, the palace might not be in this slimmed-down monarchy mess.
Elizabeth may not have understood what the Sussexes were trying to accomplish, but Prince William is seeing the writing on the wall if he wants to keep the royal family relevant and modern.
Before you go, click here to see more of Meghan Markle & Prince Harry’s milestones since leaving the royal family.
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