Duke of Cambridge: What Now for William? Future Duties, Roles, Responsibilities

[Lee27]

Seeing William and Katherine along with George in front of the media 24/7 (which is clearly what they want) would diminish the mystic of the Royal Family.

They are what sells papers, much like Diana. There is also the issue of William and Katherine taking attention off the PoW, which I think matters to the PoW.

No matter what the media demands, or whines for; the final decision will be made behind closed doors and by the family.

 

[Dman]

None of the senior royals are in front of the media 24/7.

 

[Rudolph]

^^ Maybe not but the point is William and Catherine would become the public face of the BRF while he is still only the heir to the heir.

I don't think that's fair to the Cambridges nor do I think its good for the long term strategy of the BRF.

 

[Osipi]

^^^Yes, it seems like a round-robin. I have an idea that he would not be allowed to continue to do dangerous work (which any first responder position is). Is he working that desk job, or is he just twirling? Is Harry working the desk job they made for him?

I have my doubts about successful adulthood for either of those young men.

I'm just going from memory here but I believe Harry's position now (the desk job) is in the department which organizes and works with putting together events and parades and such. Good grief... what better military man to have in that position than one that has been exposed to and has participated in more pomp and pageantry and protocol than a prince of the British Royal Family? There was an article recently of how the females have to call Harry "Sir" but that was kind of misleading as its Harry's military rank that requires that... not his princely one.

I think both William and Harry are already successful as adults and very happy ones at that.

It was mentioned a couple weeks ago that William and David Beckham have joined forces in a global attempt that aims to protect animals from illegal poaching. They're approaching it through young people and the social media. So William is very much still working on conservation endeavors.

Wouldn't it just be fantastic if it were required that all of the royals made their day planners public? I think we all would be very surprised at what we would see.

 

[royal-blue]

It seems that the younger royals want to redefine what is expected of a member of the royal family, which is probably a positive development, but there needs to be some clarity of this, which would prevent the Cambridges from being viewed as workshy.

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

There is no need for William and Catherine to be full time working royal right now, and there is no money to fund it.

 

[Jacknch]

I'm in a strange mood about all this at the moment, because William's official role is becoming a bit of a problem for me - the way I see it is that William is stuck between a rock and a hard place.
We have a royal family where there are three generations who are adults yet only two major and necessary roles available - the role of monarch and the role of heir to the throne. The Queen appears to be going to live forever, Charles has already had to make more out of the role of Prince of Wales than his predecessors ever had to and then there is William, who isn't allowed to continue in a career he loves on account of the danger, yet has no official / constitutional role available to him to make his time worthwhile as he waits to step up into his father's position. Taking a year out, doing the odd tour here and there, some charity work with David Beckham - it's all a bit ad-hoc for my liking and glacially slow as to what he will do next.
It's not a problem in other countries where the monarchs grandchildren are still at school age and in some cases are next in line to the throne - it keeps things nice and tidy. I feel for William because he'll end up knocking around for years and years wondering what to do with himself.
I love the Queen and want her to live happily and healthily for many years to come and I dare not cause the vapours in anyone by mentioning abdication for the sake of the younger generation. However, I think she should insist that William be able to take up a proper, full time career flying helicopters or whatever he wants to do until such time as the position of Prince of Wales becomes available.

 

[Osipi]

It seems that the younger royals want to redefine what is expected of a member of the royal family, which is probably a positive development, but there needs to be some clarity of this, which would prevent the Cambridges from being viewed as workshy.

I agree but I think the Firm doesn't have any rule book or employee's manual and I can't see any one of them publicizing their day planner. Maybe once the family gets their PR staffs all settled and working things will be better handled. Heck, even the court circular seemingly is on the fritz now too.

 

[Rudolph]

I'm in a strange mood about all this at the moment, because William's official role is becoming a bit of a problem for me - the way I see it is that William is stuck between a rock and a hard place.
We have a royal family where there are three generations who are adults yet only two major and necessary roles available - the role of monarch and the role of heir to the throne. The Queen appears to be going to live forever, Charles has already had to make more out of the role of Prince of Wales than his predecessors ever had to and then there is William, who isn't allowed to continue in a career he loves on account of the danger, yet has no official / constitutional role available to him to make his time worthwhile as he waits to step up into his father's position. Taking a year out, doing the odd tour here and there, some charity work with David Beckham - it's all a bit ad-hoc for my liking and glacially slow as to what he will do next.
It's not a problem in other countries where the monarchs grandchildren are still at school age and in some cases are next in line to the throne - it keeps things nice and tidy. I feel for William because he'll end up knocking around for years and years wondering what to do with himself.
I love the Queen and want her to live happily and healthily for many years to come and I dare not cause the vapours in anyone by mentioning abdication for the sake of the younger generation. However, I think she should insist that William be able to take up a proper, full time career flying helicopters or whatever he wants to do until such time as the position of Prince of Wales becomes available.

Wholeheartedly agree. Excellent post.

 

[Pranter]

Since William has produced an heir I would think that would allow him more leeway to take on a more dangerous job.

LaRae

 

[Roslyn]

I'm in a strange mood about all this at the moment, because William's official role is becoming a bit of a problem for me - the way I see it is that William is stuck between a rock and a hard place.
We have a royal family where there are three generations who are adults yet only two major and necessary roles available - the role of monarch and the role of heir to the throne. The Queen appears to be going to live forever, Charles has already had to make more out of the role of Prince of Wales than his predecessors ever had to and then there is William, who isn't allowed to continue in a career he loves on account of the danger, yet has no official / constitutional role available to him to make his time worthwhile as he waits to step up into his father's position. Taking a year out, doing the odd tour here and there, some charity work with David Beckham - it's all a bit ad-hoc for my liking and glacially slow as to what he will do next.
It's not a problem in other countries where the monarchs grandchildren are still at school age and in some cases are next in line to the throne - it keeps things nice and tidy. I feel for William because he'll end up knocking around for years and years wondering what to do with himself.
I love the Queen and want her to live happily and healthily for many years to come and I dare not cause the vapours in anyone by mentioning abdication for the sake of the younger generation. However, I think she should insist that William be able to take up a proper, full time career flying helicopters or whatever he wants to do until such time as the position of Prince of Wales becomes available.

You make very good points here. William is in a unique situation, and an unenviable one in my opinion. I do think he should be able to take up a proper, full time job, but his decisions and plans in this regard will always be hampered by the awareness that his career could come to an immediate halt at a moment's notice, and this likelihood will increase with every day that passes. The sort of career he is likely to have requires a degree of long term commitment and planning and there is a limit, even if psychological, to what he is willing and able to commit to in this regard. It's a helluva situation to be in.

I think it's a shame that he is so committed to continuing in a flying job and that there isn't a way for him to get involved in royal estate management and other work of that sort because it seems to me that would provide a learning path to facilitate a gradual, rather than sudden, transition into his next job as Prince of Wales.

 

[Dman]

I think William getting involved with the Commonwealth Office or something along those lines would be great. He took a class at Cambridge on land management, he could possibly help his aging grandfather in the role of Ranger of Windsor Great Park.

 

[Spheno]

I think it's a shame that he is so committed to continuing in a flying job and that there isn't a way for him to get involved in royal estate management and other work of that sort because it seems to me that would provide a learning path to facilitate a gradual, rather than sudden, transition into his next job as Prince of Wales.

CC shows that William involves in Duchy of Cornwall management. But royal estate management doesn't create photo ops. It's a shame, but many people (including on this forum) think, no photos no work.

 

[TLLK]

"no photos, no work" seems to be used with the Cambridges and Harry frequently.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Not only with the Cambridges and Harry but with Andrew as well. Many people assume that if there is no photo then no work was done and conversely when there are photos that work is being done but...the CC would say otherwise with a lot of the 'work' of the royals involving meetings and receiving an individual who works with one or other of their charities or other interests.

Coverage of royal events seems to focus on HM and the DoE, Charles and Camilla, William and Kate, Edward and Sophie and sometimes Anne - interestingly - the women seem to get a lot more coverage than the men which is why Andrew gets so little coverage I suspect as the press can't comment on the outfit of his female partner (maybe if Beatrice accompanied him, even unofficially, he would get more coverage as the press would then be able to comment on her outfits and so would comment on Andrew's engagements as well).

 

[PetticoatLane]

Did I seriously just read in this thread that Prince Harry is an alcoholic and sex addict?! Plus the implication that the same is true of Prince William?

The fertile imaginations of some people really do boggle the mind.

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

Did I seriously just read in this thread that Prince Harry is an alcoholic and sex addict?! Plus the implication that the same is true of Prince William?

The fertile imaginations of some people really do boggle the mind.

I don't understand why these people are on this forum.

 

[cepe]

I'm in a strange mood about all this at the moment, because William's official role is becoming a bit of a problem for me - the way I see it is that William is stuck between a rock and a hard place.
We have a royal family where there are three generations who are adults yet only two major and necessary roles available - the role of monarch and the role of heir to the throne. The Queen appears to be going to live forever, Charles has already had to make more out of the role of Prince of Wales than his predecessors ever had to and then there is William, who isn't allowed to continue in a career he loves on account of the danger, yet has no official / constitutional role available to him to make his time worthwhile as he waits to step up into his father's position. Taking a year out, doing the odd tour here and there, some charity work with David Beckham - it's all a bit ad-hoc for my liking and glacially slow as to what he will do next.
It's not a problem in other countries where the monarchs grandchildren are still at school age and in some cases are next in line to the throne - it keeps things nice and tidy. I feel for William because he'll end up knocking around for years and years wondering what to do with himself.
I love the Queen and want her to live happily and healthily for many years to come and I dare not cause the vapours in anyone by mentioning abdication for the sake of the younger generation. However, I think she should insist that William be able to take up a proper, full time career flying helicopters or whatever he wants to do until such time as the position of Prince of Wales becomes available.

Very well said. Posters and pundits keep talking about him helping out his grandparents but they are not, and do not want to slow down. And they shouldnt blame him for that.

Charles is a workaholic and will also keep going till he drops.

The media want William and Catherine full time cos it sells papers/clicks online.
So they are not impartial.

Let him fly, and do it full time. If the Queen isnt going to abdicate or slow down then let him work at something else full time. This bits and pieces life style doesnt help anyone.

 

[Osipi]

I don't understand why these people are on this forum.

Its all in having an opinion and a forum to freely express them. Would be quite boring if we all thought the same and typed the same thing to each other over and over and over ad nauseum.

 

[PetticoatLane]

Well, there's having a different opinion and then there's libel. I suspect those who run this website have no problem with the former and rather a big problem with the latter.

 

[wyevale]

there's having a different opinion and then there's libel.

If you had bothered to read my post C.A.R.E.F.U.L.L.Y... you might have detected the sarcasm....

 

[Osipi]

If you had bothered to read my post C.A.R.E.F.U.L.L.Y... you might have detected the sarcasm....

I don't think PetticoatLane was directing this at you.

Sometimes people go to far in their assessment of someone's personality and character as if they feel they actually know that person. Its easy to do especially for us that follow the lives, activities, fashion and even facial expressions from day to day as we do here. Posters here could form the opinion of me that since I am here and posting daily and my posts are at all times of the day and night that I sit on my butt at the computer all day and have no life. Well... they'd be kind of right but that's besides the point.

Its too easy to see what might not really be there.

 

[Osipi]

Very well said. Posters and pundits keep talking about him helping out his grandparents but they are not, and do not want to slow down. And they shouldnt blame him for that.

Charles is a workaholic and will also keep going till he drops.

The media want William and Catherine full time cos it sells papers/clicks online.
So they are not impartial.

Let him fly, and do it full time. If the Queen isnt going to abdicate or slow down then let him work at something else full time. This bits and pieces life style doesnt help anyone.

We actually don't know that he's looking into the EAAA as a full time job. My bet is on he does it part time as a volunteer when he's at Anmer Hall.

As far as Charles being a workaholic, I think you hit the nail on the head. He is constantly in motion and from what I read, he takes walks to relax.

 

[PetticoatLane]

If you had bothered to read my post C.A.R.E.F.U.L.L.Y... you might have detected the sarcasm....

My word, my post was quite obviously not aimed at you. If it had been, I'd have quoted you. No need to get worked up.

 

[wyevale]

And my post was not directed at you, PetticoatLane.. but at those who make speculative accusations about people with whom they have no direct relationship.

 

[cepe]

Why not name names. That way the person in question can respond if they want to. I assumed you meant Kitty Atlanta.

(stands back while sky falls on head)

 

[wyevale]

I did indeed mean Kitty Atlanta, and apologise if i was unclear...

 

[Osipi]

We now return you to our regularly scheduled discussion/debate/whine/moan/critique/pondering session on what's next for the Duke of Cambridge. Will he fly or will he not? Stay tuned for the next exciting post brought to you by The Royal Forums.

 

[TLLK]

Ain't that the truth.

 

[Mermaid1962]

I think that if the Queen wanted Prince William to be doing Full Time Royal Duties, that's exactly what he'd be doing. The same with his Duchess.