Prince William has had to step up in a number of ways since the start of 2024. His wife, Kate Middleton, underwent abdominal surgery at the start of the year, and she has been out of the royal spotlight while she recovers. Not long after, King Charles was diagnosed with cancer, which has left William as the most prominent family member taking on royal duties.
However, as William continues to balance everything, royal experts say it’s clear that his “role as heir” is becoming much more serious than it was before Queen Elizabeth II’s death just a little more than a year ago.
Prince William’s ‘role as heir’ is taking on a new meaning
The prince is trying to do it all. He’s currently the face of the royal family in addition to King Charles’ siblings, and he’s also stepping up at home in terms of parental duties while Kate continues her recovery. But royal experts say that everything that’s happened in the last month or so is only shedding more light on William’s royal future, which is becoming even more clear with Charles making very limited royal appearances.
“This has certainly been the most active and engaged [William has been] on events of this scale that we have ever seen, and we can attribute that to his role as heir,” royal expert Justin Vovk said, according to Express. “William really seems to be stepping out and looking to establish his own identity as Prince of Wales in a way that he’s never had the opportunity to before, and one that supports causes that are important to him but are also still in line with the overall values of the monarchy at the moment.”
Vovk was also referring to the work William continues to do on behalf of causes he cares about deeply, such as the homeless crisis in the UK. William recently announced a plan to build more housing for the homeless.
The royal family dynamic could change drastically when Prince William becomes king
Regardless of when it happens, William’s life — and the royal family — will change substantially when William becomes the head of the monarchy. Right now, the only true working royals are Charles’ siblings (and their spouses), along with William, Kate, Charles, and Camilla. That means William and Kate are the only working royals of their generation.
Without another group to help them, William and Kate could see the entire monarchy resting on their shoulders. Yes, the couple’s three children will eventually become working royals, but that’s after they go through all levels of schooling and potentially even spend time in the military — it’s nearly 20 years away. It’s unclear how William will handle that; could he ask Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to return to royal duties in some capacity? It seems like that would make sense, though with the way things stand between the brothers, it’s impossible to say right now. Time will tell, but the royal future hinging on just two people is a complicated scene.
