Duties, Roles and Royal Training of the Princes

[Opal]

I'm sure William is perfectly capable of holding his own at a state banquet. I think he might start attending with other royals after his RAF training or whenever he starts doing royal duties full time.

 

[Dierna23]

Future King William Given Larger Role

Prince William is given more official duties in the Royal Family.

Prince William is scheduled to take on further duties within the Royal Family as preparatory steps for his future position as King.

Senior royal aides announced yesterday that they have elaborated plans for Prince William to partake into an expanded official role and take on more responsibilities during the next three years.

Read more: Future King William Given Larger Role : WCJB

 

[Iluvbertie]

At least this article isn't implying that this logical step is to push the idea of him succeeding the Queen rather than his father.

As for shoring up support for the monarchy in Australia - that is a lost cause.

Even this morning it has been announced that in Victorian Courts will no longer be prosecuting in the name of the Queen. Sky News: Queen name dropped from crime cases

This country is moving to a republic in gradual stages and by the time of the next referendum it will be a fact in all but name. Already her pictures has been removed from many public offices, we no longer have Queen's Counsels in the NSW legal system but rather Senior Counsels and I could go on.

 

[rosana]

Very interesting. It looks like people are interested less and less in monarchy. Times are changing.

 

[MandysRoyalty]

I wrote a brief article on the Princes' roles at my blog. I still think that Wills needs more class time:

---

From the Telegraph:

"Prince William has echoed the environmental beliefs of his father at a charity event. Should the Princes take an active role in how Britain is run?"

Speaking as a teacher, I think the Princes – especially William – need a better education first. Being well-educated in this day and age is of immeasurable value. This is what we tell our children, and the Princes should be no exception. Their money and position gives them carte blanche to attend only the finest institutions, and they should not take that for granted.

Training with the country’s armed forces is, of course, admirable and right. When kingship calls upon William, however, he needs to be educated across the board in everything from political science to conservation. The military is only a part of the responsibilities, just as art and geography are only part of the education.

---

To continue in that vein, if William is well-educated, taxpayers feel they have an intelligent king and that their money really is money well-spent. When people keep seeing you stumbling out of bars, that's when the grumbling starts. And you can't blame the republicans too much when they take advantage of these situations, because then it looks like you're the one who supports drunken fools with too much money and too much free time. Not good. These royal kids need to become royal adults with a few brains, and leave celebrity-dom for the celebrity dumb.

 

[Iluvbertie]

There are many ways of getting an education rather than sitting in lecture theatres and William has done heaps of that.
He won't be doing any more of it and there is no need, in my opinion, as a teacher.

He has a degree which indicates that he can do research and find things out. He has access to the most learned people on many issues so he can get the most up to date information before saying anything without spending more time sitting in a class as he would be getting one-on-one tuition from the experts (just as he has been taught about the constitutional role of the monarch from the expert - his grandmother).

His coming our of bars is fine up to a point as he is still young and he is cutting that back a lot recently - due mainly to his military training.

He is not the heir so he is able to follow his career for many years yet before being called upon to take up that responsibility. He mightn't be called upon to be king for another 40 years (if Charles lives as long as his grandmother he has another 40 years) putting William in his late 60s with plenty of time to learn other things.

 

[MandysRoyalty]

You have a very good point - William is being educated no matter if he's in a classroom or not. Look at Queen Elizabeth II - she was an apprentice, if you will, to her father. Then she became the monarch herself and learned on the job.

I guess I just feel that the princes need more official things under their belts to be taken seriously. The republican movement isn't going to kill the monarchy any time soon, but they are ready to pounce on every misstep. Being able to sting them back with a good resume in education is a very good rebuttal.

 

[Iluvbertie]

I don't think there is a real republican movement in the UK.
In Australia it has nothing to do with the actual people in the royal family but rather that they are foreigners and not Aussies.

Being educated means very little if they can't connect with people. Many good leaders have had little education. Education, in a formal sense, is often overrated e.g. the princes mother was pretty much a dunce at school but was successful because she could connect with people.

 

[Lumutqueen]

There isn't a strong republican movement in the UK.
William has been educated to the same standards as his father, he's gone through the 3 stages of education in the UK and come out very well.
Theres nothing else he can learn.
Learning about his future job, will take longer and will only come from experience and word of mouth.
I don't think there is a guide book on how to be a king.

 

[wbenson]

The Kingmakers | Sir David Manning, Lord Janvrin and Christopher Geidt to train Prince William | News Of The World

The Queen has called in a team of top Royal mandarins dubbed the Three Wise Men to knock Wills into shape as a king in waiting.

She has asked career diplomat Sir David Manning, her former private secretary Lord Janvrin and her new top aide Christopher Geidt to sharpen up her grandson's public performance.

 

[CrownPrincess5]

I like William, but I think Harry should be king. Diana herself has said Harry has more of the attributes than William. I think William would be going through the motions, but with Harry. you could tell it's coming from his heart. When he greets, kisses or holds someone he really means it.

King Harry of England!

 

[Lumutqueen]

I like William, but I think Harry should be king. Diana herself has said Harry has more of the attributes than William. I think William would be going through the motions, but with Harry. you could tell it's coming from his heart. When he greets, kisses or holds someone he really means it.

King Harry of England!

It would be King Henry if he uses his christian name.
What evidence do you have to support your claim that Diana made this statement?
Also those are the reasons stacked against Harry being King. Yes he's possible more warm hearted than his brother but, his brother has the warm side and the serious one which makes him perfect to be King.

 

[muriel]

Diana herself has said Harry has more of the attributes than William.

Would you have a transcript (or even a link) of an interview in which Diana suggested that "Harry has more of the attributes than William"?

How likely is it that somebody as press savvy as Diana is going to actually say that, and in the process, potentially jeopardise William's position?

Also, St Diana's words thankfully were not gospel (I do appreciate it is difficult for some of her dwindling band of supporters to believe)!

I think William would be going through the motions, but with Harry. you could tell it's coming from his heart. When he greets, kisses or holds someone he really means it.

King Harry of England!

Any basis for your comments, or just a personal gut feel?

 

[Sereta]

I don't recall Diana saying this either. I do remember she said something like she wasn't worried about Harry at all. But she did worry about William sometimes because he was the more sensitive one. Or something along those lines.

 

[Iluvbertie]

I like William, but I think Harry should be king. Diana herself has said Harry has more of the attributes than William. I think William would be going through the motions, but with Harry. you could tell it's coming from his heart. When he greets, kisses or holds someone he really means it.

King Harry of England!

The very reasons above is why Harry is not the right one to be King.

The King has to be serious and formal on too many occassions and Harry simply comes across as to jokey to take on that role.

Diana's opinion was made nearly half of Harry's life ago (yes he has lived almost as long without her as he did with her) and so her knowledge of him was as a young boy but not the man (or when being compared to William the men) that they have become under the longer term influence of their father and other relatives. William, at 15 when Diana died, was the quiet serious boy whereas Harry was the naughty mischievous one and that has continued. William also has the education and the personal attitbutes of his grandmother and father that suits a constutional monarch rather than the touchy feely approach of the sidekick - Elizabeth and Margaret, Charles and Andrew, even Edward VIII and George VI (Edward was the touchy-feely type and George the quiet serious one and who made the better king?)

 

[CrownPrincess5]

It would be King Henry if he uses his christian name.
What evidence do you have to support your claim that Diana made this statement?
Also those are the reasons stacked against Harry being King. Yes he's possible more warm hearted than his brother but, his brother has the warm side and the serious one which makes him perfect to be King.

Lumutqueen,

Of course I know it will be King Henry. Seriously, who doesn't know that?? But I think the people would still call him King Harry. Or at least I know I would.

Of course, the odds are stacked up against everyone that tries to stand out and make a difference. There's a reason he acts the way he acts, because he knows that the throne is Williams, so he really doesn't have to be so perfect and programmed. Trust me, if it were switched and Harry was the firstborn, we would see a considerable difference in Harry being the "serious one".

Basically, it was just my opinion. I've noticed the firstborns (if they are heir to a fortune, company, etc.), usually have a lot to live up too. They have to be perfect unlike their other siblings who can be a little bit more carefree.

So I think Harry would be a serious, warm and kind king. It just has a lot to do with positions in life. Harry can be a little bit more carefree. Whereas, William has a whole country on his shoulders.

 

[CrownPrincess5]

Would you have a transcript (or even a link) of an interview in which Diana suggested that "Harry has more of the attributes than William"?

How likely is it that somebody as press savvy as Diana is going to actually say that, and in the process, potentially jeopardise William's position?

Also, St Diana's words thankfully were not gospel (I do appreciate it is difficult for some of her dwindling band of supporters to believe)!


Any basis for your comments, or just a personal gut feel?

Diana didn't say it in a interview. I was quoting something she told a friend in a book I read. I don't think she said it to bash William. What I got from it was she was saying it because Harry is more extrovert while William is sorta introvert. Forgive me if I made it seem as if she demeaned her child.


Good question. I can't really put it into words. It's just something I've sensed and noticed about him. But maybe it's just me.

 

[Opal]

To tell you the truth, I don't think Harry would want to be King. It would be too restricting for him.

 

[Sereta]

I'm not sure William wants to be either.
Didn't he complain about it when he was younger?

 

[Opal]

Possibly when he was younger, but I think he has matured since and come to terms with it. He seems to be embracing his role lately.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Possibly when he was younger, but I think he has matured since and come to terms with it. He seems to be embracing his role lately.

He most certainly did give the impression, as a teenager, that he didn't want to do that but he is certainly aware of his destiny and starting to show signs of embracing it as well.

He is of course able to take longer because he also knows that he could easily have another 35 - 40 years before he has to do the job due to the health of his grandmother and father.

 

[Sereta]

I must say I agree with the sentiment that life experience is the best classroom. After seeing William on the Australian/NZ trip, at the BAFTA's, and his other engagements, I really feel this is the best way for him to get comfortable in his role... by doing it. There are certain things you just can't learn in a classroom.

 

[Opal]

William also has the wonderful benefit of being able to tap into the Queen's wealth of knowledge, experience and wisdom. You can't get that in a classroom either.

 

[Mermaid1962]

Yes, I agree. William has had a wonderful opportunity to learn from the Queen and also from the Duke. As experienced as The Prince of Wales is with community service and "working a room," and as helpful as he might be in those regards, he doesn't have the experience of being a monarch.

 

[Sereta]

Talk about going straight to the top! You can't get a higher education than that.

 

[Iluvbertie]

William and Harry are in full time military training and simply won't be able to do royal duties except on a part-time ad hoc basis for years - William for at least another 18 months or more and Harry for even longer - like Andrew he will stay in the military probably for another 20 years or so so full time duties for him are decades away.

The York girls will probably be doing more in time but they are currently full-time uni students with Beatrice due to graduate next year and Eugenie having two or three more years to do (people do often forget that these two girls as still in full time education).

 

[rob2008]

The problem is precisely that the PoW's sons have sought and been permitted to disappear from public view when their life is about providing visible public service and also securing the dynasty. They are sadly being allowed to fail in both. The Wales household needs sensible advice that spells out and explains the constitutional necessities of the job to the PoW, his new wife and his sons. This is not happening.

 

[Iluvbertie]

The Prince of Wales and the Duke of York were able to do exactly this in their 20s as have generations of males in the BRF - it is the norm and is what is expected of them - to spend a number of years (their 20s at least) in the military, then marry and secure the dynasty.

Charles didn't marry until his early 30s and the heirs to the other thrones in Europe haven't married until then either so there is no rush for William to marry - look at Albert of Monaco - 50 and only now engaged.

If the heir was female then a marriage in the late 20s or early 30s would be important but with males it isn't.

In addition - there is no worries about the future of the dynasty as the Queen is about to be a great-grandmother so another generartion is on the way. If something happens to Wiliam and Harry then Beatrice and Eugenie are there to carry on.

 

[Osipi]

The problem is precisely that the PoW's sons have sought and been permitted to disappear from public view when their life is about providing visible public service and also securing the dynasty. They are sadly being allowed to fail in both. The Wales household needs sensible advice that spells out and explains the constitutional necessities of the job to the PoW, his new wife and his sons. This is not happening.

I happen to disagree with you here. As Bertie has said, both William and Harry have full time military careers at this point in their lives but they are not exactly shunning their royal roles either. Both of these men have a list of patronages and causes that they are very much active in and even sometimes have quite a unique approach to how they support them. William spent a night on the cold London streets with his Centrepoint and Harry has his hand in quite a few also. William just did his first overseas trip as a representative of HM to New Zealan and both of the Wales boys just recently (in June I believe) visited Africa on an official tour that was very well received. With just being the heir to the heir and the spare at this time, they can take their time edging into their official royal duties and from what I've seen of them, they stand to do whatever duties come their way with the grace and charm of their late mother.

The PoW and the Duchess of Cornwall, The Princess Royal along with Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex all do a tremendous job at royal duties. Just follow their activities in their respective threads and most times our own Iceflower posts pictures from all these occasions. Both Charles and Camilla have very busy schedules. Camilla even didn't let a broken ankle get in her way and attended functions using whatever means necessary be it wheelchair (with Charles pushing her), crutches and even a motorized scooter.

All of these may not have made front page news but following their activities here on TRF and checking the court circular for the BRF, you'll be surprised at how much they DO do.

 

[rob2008]

William and Harry are undertaking too few engagements. Andrew's daughters are similar - they personally enjoy all the benefits of royalty but do not pay back as required to their country. The motivation is not so relevant - they just have to perform: smile, wave and make the Commonwealth feel good about itself. Their job is to be visible representations of the Windsor dynasty and manifest a unifying force for the UK and the Commonwealth. It is unfair of them to avoid this responsibility and not shoulder some of the burden that is falling heavily on those who are playing their part: HM, Philip, Anne and other hard working Royals. Diana was excellent at public engagements. Charles is good but his wife is invisible - all the benefits but not the responsibilities.

Either these under performers have not been sufficiently educated about their duties or they are being allowed to avoid public duties or they simply lack the desire to do the job they were born to do (or married into). In fact, I think it is a combination of all 3.