Prince William Is Aiming for a "Diana Reboot of the Monarchy" When He Becomes King, Per Royal Author
The Prince of Wales is taking inspiration from his late mother.
When Prince William ascends the throne one day, insiders say he won't just be continuing the legacy of his father, King Charles, or his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth—he'll be reshaping the monarchy with his own bold vision. Focusing on less talk and more action, the Prince of Wales intends to prioritize projects and events that drive actual change versus cutting ribbons. According to royal author Edward White, it's a blend of Princess Diana and the late Queen in terms of philosophy.
White, who wrote Dianaworld: An Obsession, recently told the Mirror that the late princess was keen to bring Prince William up in a way that would help keep the Royal Family relevant. But in doing so, the Prince of Wales developed his own strategy that also pays tribute to his late mother.
"Diana said that she was trying to raise a future king that would ensure the monarchy survived into the 21st century—and William is trying to do a Diana reboot of the monarchy, combining the best of his mother and his grandmother," he told the media outlet.
Prince William shared a laugh with participants at a Street Soccer Scotland event on May 21.
Like his mother, Prince William is passionate about the issue of homelessness, and last year, released the ITV documentary Prince William: We Can End Homelessness. In the program, he talked about his mother brought him to shelters, revealing that as an adult, he struggles with "not doing more."
"I've spent enough time learning and listening to what people have been through that I feel almost guilty every time I leave," he admitted. As King, William seems determined to change the narrative around shaking hands and making appearances versus being able to help in a more concrete way—much like Diana did.
"She seemed to think that if she wasn’t taking the most extreme course of action to remedy a problem, then she wasn’t actually taking any action at all," White told the Mirror.
Diana wanted her eldest son to keep the monarchy relevant into the 21st century.
As for Prince William, "I’ve often heard him say, 'There’s been too much talk about that. We need to see some action,'" said William Hague, who works with the Prince of Wales on the Royal Foundation's United for Wildlife initiative (via the Times).
Princess Diana was open about her thoughts and feelings in a way the public hadn't seen before with royalty, and while speaking to journalists in South Africa during his 2024 Earthshot Prize trip, William said he wants to make the monarchy feel more relatable to the younger generation.
"I can only describe what I’m trying to do and that’s trying to do it differently and I’m trying to do it for my generation," he said. "I’m doing it with maybe a smaller r in the royal, if you like, that’s maybe a better way of saying it."
