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

[muriel]

IMHO this is obviously something that both brothers believe is important to better understand the public they will be serving in the future.

One thing I've come to realize in my time here is that although there's a lot of yellow journalism and places like the Daily Mail where the norm in the comment section tends to lean towards the royals being "spongers" and "whiners" and a mass of other negative connotations, is that the Firm is a well run family business and their business is to support and serve the people. Nothing is left to chance and they very much look to the future and plan as such to keep the monarchy relevant and productive in today's world and they're doing it by example.

Its often been said that actions speak louder than words. To me, seeing the younger royals finding their own ways and means of supporting and serving the people such as Will's work with SAR and now as an air ambulance pilot, Harry's service in the armed forces and championing his wounded comrades and Kate not only wishing to be a hands on full time mother, but also championing various areas where the welfare of children needs attention and then all three of them joining together in a foundation that unites so many causes and so many people for the greater good. To me, these *are* royal duties and in the long run will not only keep the up and coming younger royals in touch with the people, but also keep the people in touch with the future of the monarchy and see that those that represent the Crown are much much more than ribbon cutters or troop inspectors or marionettes to hang gongs on and that they actively strive to serve.

For now, those that actively do the work that appears in the court circular have things in good order and if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Charles had to establish what his role as The Prince of Wales was. Now its Will and Harry's time to find their own paths.

I could not agree more with you. The BRF appears to be a well run machine, and matters are thought through in some detail. Not all of this may be apparent to us, but that is part of a well thought through approach. What engagements and patronages taken on by whom have all been carefully considered. If W, C & H are seen less has been sanctioned by HM and the PoW. Similarly the decision to not offer on-going royal roles to the York girls would have been carefully considered.

I also agree that William, Catherine & Harry are starting to carve out roles for themselves, just as Prince Charles did c40 years ago.

 

[Dman]

It's a beautiful thing to watch William & Catherine and Harry carve out their own royal roles.

 

[TLLK]

I am thinking that this may be something that Diana brought to the table, so to speak. This connecting with "normal" people seemed to be important to her as a parent. Not trying to slight Charles or his parenting style/skills, I just think this concept was emphasized by her.

JMHO

Good point Excalibur and I agree that their late mother did try to introduce her sons to life outside the royal bubble.

 

[MichelleQ2]

I am thinking that this may be something that Diana brought to the table, so to speak. This connecting with "normal" people seemed to be important to her as a parent. Not trying to slight Charles or his parenting style/skills, I just think this concept was emphasized by her.

JMHO

very possibly - as she also had a front row seat at the time Charles was trying to carve his own identity as POW and saw the trouble he had at that time. Charles made his way... and now it is time for William and Harry to create their own respective roles.

 

[AdmirerUS]

If part of your job (which you got by birth rather than a particular calling) is being scrutinized 24/7 and criticized for almost everything you do, and the press views all this criticism and scrutiny as a revenue generating proposition, you are not a sponger.
In fact, the taxes that people pay as they use you as news, or use your likeness, or sell the goods that you wear, probably more than cover your subsidy.
They could not pay me enough to sit and be a placeholder well into adulthood, waiting for my mother/dad to die so that I can take over. At the same time, you are completely redundant and open to all criticism. It's a crummy position.
JMO

 

[Dman]

If part of your job (which you got by birth rather than a particular calling) is being scrutinized 24/7 and criticized for almost everything you do, and the press views all this criticism and scrutiny as a revenue generating proposition, you are not a sponger.
In fact, the taxes that people pay as they use you as news, or use your likeness, or sell the goods that you wear, probably more than cover your subsidy.
They could not pay me enough to sit and be a placeholder well into adulthood, waiting for my mother/dad to die so that I can take over. At the same time, you are completely redundant and open to all criticism. It's a crummy position.
JMO

Well, the world has changed and it make it seem being a popular senior royal is a crazy position to be in today. The media attention and criticism will come and go, but I think the best way to get through it all, is to work hard in carving out your royal role and just get on with things. William has moved on and is busy with his own family now. Harry is now on the path of doing the same. They're fine.

 

[hernameispekka]

Well, the world has changed and it make it seem being a popular senior royal is a crazy position to be in today. The media attention and criticism will come and go, but I think the best way to get through it all, is to work hard in carving out your royal role and just get on with things. William has moved on and is busy with his own family now. Harry is now on the path of doing the same. They're fine.

I agree. Stuff they do now might seem a little PR-clumsy at the moment but in the long run will help. These things will be brought up as a positive argument in the future. Just as the queen driving an ambulance/being a mechanic is put forward as a very positive thing now, so will their work. Small dips in popularity doesn't matter in the long haul. When the queen was a young mother (I heard this from a blogcommentors grandmother) there was a lot of gossip and bad publicity over her not bringing up her kids, and leaving them when going to malta. But nowdays the picture is that over all the queen is an impressive person that managed to balance her role and family. William, Kate and Harry are still in the beginning of their "Big picture", so it's not fair to judge them as if the picture is done. After all, the BRF are renowned for their long term thinking.

 

[Lee27]

The actions by Williams and Harry to have employment will have an impact on other members of the BRF, now and in the future. Princess Anne's children have jobs. The York sisters should be expected to have jobs as well as the Queen's other grandchildren, when they are older. Harry's children will probably be expected to work.
This is also part of the POW's goal of a leaner Royal Family.

 

[LauraS3514]

If the young HRHs are expected to have jobs, then the press should let them get on with it without blaming them for "cashing in on their status" or "taking away a job from someone else." The current Princess Royal's children are not themselves royal and were always expected to have to find their own way in life. The York Princesses are just that, princesses, who at the time of their births were assumed to have a royal future ahead of them. There is no historical blueprint in Britain for Royal Highnesses to have paying jobs outside of the military - and never for the women. William and Harry were military and now William at least will still be serving the public in his new role as an air ambulance pilot. Harry's choice of paid profession should prove very interesting and it may prove just as difficult for him as it was for his Uncle Edward and Aunt Sophie. Eugenie escaped to the US and rumors have it that Beatrice may do the same. Harry doesn't really have that option.

I know this is more a stream-of-consciousness than a statement, but I hope everyone can follow what I mean.

 

[democratnmonocole]

They set up smaller trusts, if any, for future monarchs.

That is what caused some of the money problems in 1936 - the fact that Edward VIII didn't have a trust fund set up by anyone and thus had no income after stepping down as King while George VI did have a trust fund established for him as the second son. Of course Edward did accumulate wealth as Duke of Cornwall but he wasn't the beneficiary of trust funds from his great-grandmother, grandfather or father. Whether the same thing will happen with George who knows but it is highly likely that a small fund might be established for him but not on the scale of what is established for other children, grand-children and great-grandchildren - simply because he will get the vast majority of the monarch's wealth in time.

That's bunk. Edward VIII had over 1 million pounds from the accumulated revenue of the Duchy of Cornwall and a smaller purse from the Duchy of Lancaster when he abdicated. In addition, ALL of George V's children had trust funds The Government refused to include the Duke and Duchess of Windsor on the Civil List, so George VI also had to fund them from his private funds. Edward VIII called daily in the first months of the King's reign asking for more money and to return to Britain. Finally the new King threatened to cut him off entirely if he didn't stop whining for more money. The King also had to pay at least a hundred thousand pounds to the Duke for Balmoral and Sandringham. I have less than zero sympathy for Edward VIII.

 

[Pranter]

That's what I have read as well (democratnmonocole).


LaRae

 

[Iluvbertie]

That's bunk. Edward VIII had over 1 million pounds from the accumulated revenue of the Duchy of Cornwall and a smaller purse from the Duchy of Lancaster when he abdicated. In addition, ALL of George V's children had trust funds The Government refused to include the Duke and Duchess of Windsor on the Civil List, so George VI also had to fund them from his private funds. Edward VIII called daily in the first months of the King's reign asking for more money and to return to Britain. Finally the new King threatened to cut him off entirely if he didn't stop whining for more money. The King also had to pay at least a hundred thousand pounds to the Duke for Balmoral and Sandringham. I have less than zero sympathy for Edward VIII.

I assume that you did read my original post in which I stated: Of course Edward did accumulate wealth as Duke of Cornwall

I argued that he didn't have an income AFTER he stepped down as King - which he didn't have.

Why not:

Because he hadn't been the beneficiary of trust funds as his ancestors had expected him to have the ongoing income of first the Cornwall estate and then the Lancaster estate and hence they didn't need to provide him with an income for life.

Of course he was never going to be on the Civil List after stepping down - he was no longer in the line of succession, wasn't going to be doing royal duties and the parliament weren't going to pay him as if he was.

He lied to George VI about how much money he did have - to weddle more money but he was also correct in that after he stood down he had no ongoing source on income. That had stopped when he abdicated.

He did own Balmoral and Sandringham but he wasn't really a country person so the idea of living a country gentlemen's life and living on the income of those estates wasn't on option for him - but they would have given him an income.

George though did love them and wanted them so he and Edward negotiated for George to acquire them.

My source for this information comes from my grandmother's cousin who was a member of the government in 1936 and when I was studying this topic at university I wrote to him to ask if he had any information he was able to share - this is just some of what he wrote back in reply about the abdication and the period in which he was involved with the government (1920s to 1960s).

 

[Roslyn]

"King's Counsellor, Abication and War: The Diaries of Sir Alan Lascelles" (one of George V's private secretaries at the time of his death, and Assistant Private Secretary to Edward, Prince of Wales, for 9 years in the 1920s), edited by Duff Hart-Davis, tells us that under George V's will, each of David's brothers was left about three-quarters of a million pounds in cash, but he was left nothing. Not only did he receive no cash but he was precluded from converting anything such as the stamp collection, racehorses, etc., into ready money.

David was furious and Lascelles believes the will resulted in him altering plans and observed that he spent a very large chunk of his time over the next 10 months on money-making schemes, "despite the fact that his private fortune, amassed under Revelstoke's able direction while he was Prince of Wales, already amounted to nearly a million - which sum he took with him, of course, when he finally left the country; it was substantially increased by the very considerable sums which his brother paid him for his life interest in the Sandringham and Balmoral estates, so that by the time he married, having no encumbrances, no overhead charges and no taxes to pay, he was one of the richest men in Europe - if not the richest."

The "Revelstoke" referred to was John Baring, 2nd Baron Revelstoke, a director of the Bank of England, a partner in Baring Bros., and Receiver-General of the Duchy of Cornwall from 1908-1929.

 

[cepe]

Last few tweets are all very interesting but have nothing to do with William's future.

how about getting back on course folks!

 

[Dman]

The Duke of Cambridge is set to return to work tomorrow as an air ambulance pilot after taking a break around of the birth of his daughter Princess Charlotte-
Prince William to return to work after royal baby break - ITV News

 

[AdmirerUS]

I just keep thinking at some point paps will really work to get him piloting the heli on film. It would be a new reason for ambulance chasing (sorry, I could not resist the pun).
In the US - we have people (and news agencies) who listen to police monitors to find out where stuff is happening and go to the scene. So, in the US, if you own a monitor - you can make your way to the scene of accidents, crimes, etc. Sometimes they airlift from the scene. Is there such as these monitors in the UK - or is this info more private?

 

[hernameispekka]

I just keep thinking at some point paps will really work to get him piloting the heli on film. It would be a new reason for ambulance chasing (sorry, I could not resist the pun).
In the US - we have people (and news agencies) who listen to police monitors to find out where stuff is happening and go to the scene. So, in the US, if you own a monitor - you can make your way to the scene of accidents, crimes, etc. Sometimes they airlift from the scene. Is there such as these monitors in the UK - or is this info more private?

Ohh, I hope nothing like that will start happening! It would be horrible

 

[Isabella]

I just keep thinking at some point paps will really work to get him piloting the heli on film. It would be a new reason for ambulance chasing (sorry, I could not resist the pun).
In the US - we have people (and news agencies) who listen to police monitors to find out where stuff is happening and go to the scene. So, in the US, if you own a monitor - you can make your way to the scene of accidents, crimes, etc. Sometimes they airlift from the scene. Is there such as these monitors in the UK - or is this info more private?

Based on a quick google search, it seems that in the UK, people can no longer use police scanners to listen to police radio traffic, as it's now digitally encrypted (however, I don't know if this applies to all communication between first responders). That's good to know. In the US, a lot of people will live stream the police scanner traffic online, so almost anyone can have access to it (though I frequently hear about it being used for the purpose of news gathering, rather than people actually trying to show up somewhere.)

 

[Queen Camilla]

William needs to start attending BP Garden Parties.

Beatrice, who is six years younger, has attended a few. Harry and Kate have attended.

William at 33 should have been attending these BP gatherings since he was a teen. At 33, he is a bit long in the tooth for not having attended one. He should start attending these very soon. If he should ever become monarch, it would be his responsibility to host them.

It is interesting that some people want him to attend the State Opening of Parliament before he has ever attended a BP Garden Party. (Or did I miss William's grand entrance into the BP Gardens?.)

He should first get several BP Garden Parties under his belt followed by a few BP State dinners before he is ready for the State Opening of Parliament.

 

[MARG]

I believe it's called "Cherry picking" and of course, Garden Parties are all about mixing and talking to people. It seems reception lines at movie premieres are as far as William is willing to go.

At least he gets to see a movie rather than just eat a cucumber sandwich!

 

[Lady Nimue]

I believe it's called "Cherry picking" and of course, Garden Parties are all about mixing and talking to people. It seems reception lines at movie premieres are as far as William is willing to go.

At least he gets to see a movie rather than just eat a cucumber sandwich!

Funny.

 

[soapstar]

William has actually attended a garden party. He attended one that was hosted by his father at Holyroodhouse.

Prince William says thank you to Scotland at Royal Garden Party
Prince William, Towering Above The Crowd, Accompanies Prince Charles... News Photo | Getty Images

But even if he hadn't attended one, I don't see why it's cause for concern. Garden parties aren't the only place to mix and talk to people. William has attended plenty of events (not just movie premieres) where he's had to interact with people/the public.

 

[Dman]

Why William haven't attended a royal garden party in years is beyond me!

 

[Rudolph]

William has actually attended a garden party. He attended one that was hosted by his father at Holyroodhouse.

Prince William says thank you to Scotland at Royal Garden Party
Prince William, Towering Above The Crowd, Accompanies Prince Charles... News Photo | Getty Images

But even if he hadn't attended one, I don't see why it's cause for concern. Garden parties aren't the only place to mix and talk to people. William has attended plenty of events (not just movie premieres) where he's had to interact with people/the public.

Great points

 

[Osipi]

Although I know the garden parties are listed in the court circular and are considered "official" engagements, to me it always seems to have a flavor of "Come and have tea with the Queen and the Royal Family" and is very much a social event. The garden parties were started to replace presenting the debutantes to the Queen at the Palace and the guest list was comprised from various walks of life and accomplishments. The members of the family that attend are varied as I imagine it is who is available and can be there. These parties just might not be William and Harry's cup of tea right now and its not something that is forced on them and I've never really seen a reason to complain about it.

In due time, Will and Kate will take their place at these parties just like other royal events. There's just no hurry.

 

[Isabella]

Yeah, I've got to say, I don't see the garden parties as being any particular rite of passage. They don't require any special skills. The royals don't even have to really mingle as much as they do at an average engagement or walkabout: the guests they interact with at the parties are generally preselected, no? Then some brief (and often stilted) small talk. William is a grown man who appears to have perfectly normal social skills, so in the grand scheme of Royal events, I don't really feel particularly concerned that he isn't spending years attending the garden parties to perfect his small talk. As Osipi said, he'll go in due time. And I'm sure he'll do just fine.

 

[royal rob]

William needs to start attending BP Garden Parties.

Beatrice, who is six years younger, has attended a few. Harry and Kate have attended.

William at 33 should have been attending these BP gatherings since he was a teen. At 33, he is a bit long in the tooth for not having attended one. He should start attending these very soon. If he should ever become monarch, it would be his responsibility to host them.

It is interesting that some people want him to attend the State Opening of Parliament before he has ever attended a BP Garden Party. (Or did I miss William's grand entrance into the BP Gardens?.)

He should first get several BP Garden Parties under his belt followed by a few BP State dinners before he is ready for the State Opening of Parliament.

I think we are really being nit picking now if we start on this. As has been pointed out many many times he is part time royal who works. But for some people he would never do enough. I'm sure he can walk and talk so will be fine doing them when he needs too.


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[muriel]

William needs to start attending BP Garden Parties.

Beatrice, who is six years younger, has attended a few. Harry and Kate have attended.

William at 33 should have been attending these BP gatherings since he was a teen. At 33, he is a bit long in the tooth for not having attended one. He should start attending these very soon. If he should ever become monarch, it would be his responsibility to host them.

It is interesting that some people want him to attend the State Opening of Parliament before he has ever attended a BP Garden Party. (Or did I miss William's grand entrance into the BP Gardens?.)

He should first get several BP Garden Parties under his belt followed by a few BP State dinners before he is ready for the State Opening of Parliament.

I think we are really being nit picking now if we start on this. As has been pointed out many many times he is part time royal who works. But for some people he would never do enough. I'm sure he can walk and talk so will be fine doing them when he needs too.


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community

I have to agree with Rob on this. He is a part-time royal, and has to carefully plan his time. Personally, I would much rather that he continue to spend time on the causes that he prefers to champion (Wildlife conservation, the Armed Forces, Football.....) than use that time for Garden Parties. HM, Prince Philip, C&C, supported by a few more junior members of the family are just fine for Garden Parties.

 

[cepe]

I've been to a Garden Party and what happens is that the guests (all 2000 of them) arrive early afternoon and have the place to themselves - wander around the garden, have tea and meet people. Those attending are from all walks of life. There is a tendency now to have special garden parties - ie last year there was one for the military and that is the one Harry attended.

Eventually the Royal party arrive and the guests are put into clusters. The royals are "allocated" to a cluster. Certain guests are pre-selected to talk to HMQ but as far I remember that is the only occurrence. Probably only 100 get the chance to talk to a member of the BRF.

The event is for the guests to enjoy BP and does not stretch the skills of any of the royals. It isnt a rite of passage and I think the snarky comments about William are unwarranted.

 

[wyevale]

I think the snarky comments about William are unwarranted.

If ENTIRELY predictable.