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


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One of the family roles that the DoE has is overseeing the Sandringham Estate. It is possible that William might support him with this, understanding more about land management learning from the Estate Manager. Sandringham makes enough income to support itself.

Its just an idea.
 
cepe said:
One of the family roles that the DoE has is overseeing the Sandringham Estate. It is possible that William might support him with this, understanding more about land management learning from the Estate Manager. Sandringham makes enough income to support itself.

Its just an idea.
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That's what I've been thinking as well. William must start somewhere and if he's to take an active part in the running of the Duchy of Cornwall, Sandringham is a perfect start.


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I was thinking that William would take on the role of Ranger of Windsor Great Park. It's a role that Prince Philip as held since 1952.
 
Pranter said:
Who runs the Duchy of Lancaster?
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The Queen is the Duke of Lancaster. On her behalf Mr Oliver Letwin MP is Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (the one who is answerable to Parliament for the governance of the Duchy). He is officially the highest in charge of the Duchy (after the Queen) but in daily practice a number of officials manages the Duchy, led by a vice-Chancellor.

:flowers:
 
The Duchy of Cornwall mostly takes care of itself nowadays. Unlike in the past, there are now very well-qualified, very well-paid professionals running the thing on a daily basis. I'm not saying Charles hasn't had a big hand in its success, he absolutely has, but he's very good at putting good people in the right roles, whether that be to run the Duchy or his charities.

Sandringham's probably more of a challenge, to be honest. It doesn't own chunks of central London like the Duchy does, which is basically a licence to print money. The Duchy owns a lot of residential and commercial property in very desirable parts of the country earning it ever more money in rents. Sandringham's in a not terribly fashionable part of the country, trying to pay its way through cultivating its land. We all know how difficult these country estates are to keep afloat, it's why so many aristos had to hand their's over to the National Trust.
 
My main criticism with William is the KP townhome and Anmer Hall.

Money was spent to renovate 2 large homes for William while the roof leaks at Buckingham Palace and the roof leaks at Windsor Castle.

Water damage costs more than most type of damage except total loss. The asbestos in KP was contained and posed on harm. The charity was operating in Apt 1A and it generated revenue no matter how small.

Anmer Hall was leased and generated income.

IMO, it reflects poorly on William to leave KP after the renovations and after his offices had been moved to KP.

I suspect that the roofs of BP and Windsor will require more than was spent on Anmer Hall & Apt 1A but that money could have started the renovations. IMO, I do not believe that the entire building need to be closed off to repair the roof.

If William had stayed in Wales and taken a job as a medievac pilot, I do not see how he could have been criticized. The place that they were renting was large enough for William, Kate, George, nanny and staff.

The PR fallout is because the move to KP signaled to everyone he was going to be a full time royal or at least employed in London.

The move to Anmer make William looks indecisive.
 
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There are ongoing repairs to the roof at both BP and Windsor Castle.

Some things to keep in mind. One of the main reasons for the Sovereign Grant is to allow the Queen and the Royal Household to budget their money long term and undertake repairs and renovations to the occupied royal palaces.

The upkeep and maintenance of the palaces is the responsibility of the Queen not William. The Royal Household decides where the priority is and go from there. The Queen wanted William and Kate to have KP now. End of story.

William was always going to have two homes, whether the Queen gave him KP now or in two years time.

There is no residency requirement or a minimum number of hours William needs to spend at KP. It is his London home and official residence, just like Anmer Hall is his country residence.

He will split his time between the two. If the Queen expected him to spend to spend 24/7 in London she never would have given him a second home.
 
Blaming the Queen.

BP & Windsor need repairs.
William wanted a larger London home.
William wanted to join the medievac and left his London townhome.
Blame his grandmother.
 
The Duchy of Cornwall is successful because of Prince Charles.

William took an agricultural course.

The Duchy of Lancaster is losing money.

Simply solution help his grandmother with the Duchy of Lancaster. Use what he was taught at Cambridge to turn around the Duchy of Lancaster.
 
Queen Camilla said:
Blaming the Queen.

BP & Windsor need repairs.
William wanted a larger London home.
William wanted to join the medievac and left his London townhome.
Blame his grandmother.
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No matter how much you want to make this about William, the occupied royal palaces including KP are the Queen's responsibility. This is just a fact. It is spelled out explicitly in the Sovereign Grant Act.
 
There's been PR fallout? From anyone other than the usual suspects who want to find fault/conspiracy/drama/controversy/as-many-column-inches-as-possible in every breath William takes? All the leader columns in the newspapers I've seen have been very supportive. Lots of politicians from all sides have warmly welcomed his decision. In my own life, people are pleased that William's going to do a 'real' job, as opposed to being a full-time royal which most don't see as a 'real' job. I know that's not fair, but there it is.

I don't get the criticism over KP. When QEQM died, Charles spent millions renovating Clarence House, despite having a perfectly suitable residence just round the corner at SJP. He also bought Highgrove and spent millions on it and has the use of Birkhall which, I have no doubt, he's also spent a pretty penny on. Oh, and he spends time at the Castle of Mey every year. I don't begrudge the renovations to CH, just as I don't to KP.

The investment in KP will stand it in good stead for decades to come. It's work that will have had to be done at some point; no point in waiting until there were even more problems to fix costing even more money.

There will always be a continuous list of renovations that need to be made to enormous old buildings that are being constantly used like BP and WC. They will never be 'fixed'. I do know there's an ongoing programme of work being done at both buildings. The new funding arrangements have given the Queen a decent hike in her funding so she has the means to keep improving. If she's not spending enough on BP and WC then that's on her because, to be frank, she holds the pursestrings. She's the one with the constitutional responsibility to hand on the palaces and the Collection to the next generation. She holds them in trust for her heirs and the nation.
 
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That Ken Wharfe article is bit off- a rash of rescue selfies. Get real. There wasn't a mess a people faking accidents in Snowdon waiting for William to pick them up. With his helmet and people hurt, they aren't even going to know who the pilot was.


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I suspect William and the people in charge know that. By the time word might spread that William is the pilot the helicopter will be gone. Does anyone know how many people he rescued in the RAF ran to the media? I would think you'd have a better chance meeting William at the local Wal Mart than calling for a rescue helicopter....wait does England have Wal mart?
 
casualfan said:
:previous: I can absolutely see what you're saying, but isn't it also entirely possible that, while W and C aren't fulfilling your expectations now, they will do so in the future?
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This is entirely possible, and if that comes to happen I will gladly admit that I was wrong.

That said, to me right now it seems like William is being reluctant to be a royal. I think when he's forced to he'll step up and do more, but even then I think he'll do so reluctantly. To me it often seems like when he's involved in an engagement that doesn't interest him or interacting with people that don't interest him he does so with an open disinterest. He hasn't figured out yet how to put on a face and make it seem like he's somewhere he wants to be. He doesn't make the effort.

In contrast, the Queen, DoE, Charles, and when she was alive Diana all have (or had) the ability to feign interest. To make the charity or event or whatever seem important. They make an effort, not just in sheer number of duties but also in how they perform the duties themselves. Harry also has this touch, while William doesn't seem to. This lack of apparent interest, coupled with his reluctance to be a full time royal and his desire to be, or seem, normal, makes me think that William is always going to fall short of expectations, and as long as Kate toes the line in this regards she'll always fall short as well. To me this isn't a critique of Kate at all, nor is it her failure, but William's.

Also, isn't it possible that the Queen is allowing this because this kind of time with her young family is something she would have liked to have enjoyed, too, had it now been for the premature death of her father?
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I don't think the Queen's decided to give him this much freedom of her own initiative because it runs contrary to how she treated Charles and really a lot of what she's done with William when he was younger. The Queen was given a fair amount of freedom to live her life and be a mother when she first married - she just married a lot younger than William. It was only when her father's health began to fade that she began to step things up.

Likewise, Charles was given time to grow into being a full time royal. He went to post secondary, and he had a military career. It wasn't until the end of his 20s that he was pushed into leaving the military and entering into full time duties, and then into marriage.

William was granted a lot of freedom during his schooling given his position. He wasn't harassed at school by the press. He was given the opportunity to go to the post secondary school of his choosing, and to take the gap year of his choosing. He was able to have a military career, even if he was denied the opportunity to serve in some capacities - which has happened with every heir apparent and heir apparent to the heir apparent to serve in the military during wartime in recent history. He got to have a lengthy pre-marriage relationship with Kate and married on his terms. But now that he's 4 years older than his father was when Charles began undertaking more full time duties and 7 years older than his grandmother was when she became Queen I have a hard time believing that William isn't undertaking full time duties simply because they want him to enjoy his youth in a manner that they couldn't. William's not a young man anymore, he's an adult. Furthermore, being a full time royal probably isn't going to be anymore taxing on his marriage or his relationship with his son than him having a career will. They're both time consuming things, and really being a pilot has the potential to take him away from the home far more than being a full time royal ever will, especially since the bulk of his traveling as a royal can involve his wife and son coming with him.

Just like Catherine is not just "any" mother, hers and William's situation is not like any other royal couple, either. They're still in the 3rd generation and could be waiting for the throne for the next 20-40 years. I guess my main point is: why begrudge them this time before the royal maelstrom?
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I don't believe for an instant that this opportunity is giving them any more time to be a close family. I don't believe for an instant that they will somehow be more together while William is a part time royal working in the air ambulance service than they would be if they were both full time royals.

This opportunity is giving William time to avoid the job he was born into. It's giving him the opportunity to play at being normal. In a lot of ways I don't begrudge him that. I don't believe that he should ever be denied aspects of his life that are private, or time where he can live in relative freedom and do what he wants. If he was to take up full time duties but still wanted to find time to sometimes fly a helicopter on the side I wouldn't begrudge him at all - that's something he's passionate about and we all should be allowed to enjoy things we're passionate about.

That said, William isn't a child anymore, nor is he a young man still trying to find his way in the world. He's an adult who comes across as trying to avoid the responsibility of his future. While William is in an extremely unique position - he is the only adult heir apparent to a heir apparent in Europe, and the only one to have lived in a hundred years in Britain - we no longer live in a world where the monarchy is so secure that the heir apparent to the heir apparent can spend his time licking stamps and shooting pheasants. William lives in a world where regardless of what he does the monarchy is under constant scrutiny. He is viewed in a way where people almost feel as though they've made an investment in him - their tax dollars are seen as supporting him and really creating the world that he lives in, however inaccurate that may or may not be - and they're not getting much in return.

I begrudge William this time because I think he's an adult who's avoiding his responsibilities, and I think a part of being an adult is taking care of your responsibilities. I think he can seriously endanger the monarchy if he continues to avoid these responsibilities because he is the future of the monarchy and he comes off as reluctant about it - and why should we, his subjects, want him if he disdains the job? I begrudge him this time because I think that even if he has to wait another 40 years before he has the top job he would be better spent taking the time now to lay the foundations for something comparable to what his father and grandfather have achieved. In as much as William has his foundation I don't think it's anything compared to what the Duke of Edinburgh or Prince of Wales have achieved, and I don't think it ever will be if William continues to be the reluctant royal. I begrudge him this time because I think that in avoiding taking a serious royal role William is conveying an attitude that he's better than being the ceremonial ribbon cutter, ignoring the ways in which members of his family have been much more than that and insulting those who have only been that.
 
:previous: we will have to agree to disagree.

1. It's highly subjective to say that William seems disinterested when he attends engagements. That hasn't been my experience or opinion at all.

2. It doesn't seem far-fetched to say that William isn't being given the time for his family when you cite the time that his grandmother and father have been given--and that when both his grandmother and father were next in line to the throne.

3. IMO more time away from the constant media attention of the full-time royal status will give them more time to build their family.
 
Rudolph said:
William and Kate are very popular in Britain which is all that matters. The most recent example I can find is from June 15 2014

Prince William more popular than Queen - Telegraph
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For Will and Kate to be more popular than the Queen is alarming - no matter what one may think of William, given Her Majesty's years of service. It confirms for me that these are nothing more than shallow opinions based on youth and beauty and not on actual fact. Give it 10 more years and we'll see who's at the top of the popularity contests.
 
:previous: Amen, GG

If that poll is correct it's not only disturbing, it's offensive. Other than youth, there is no advantage William and Kate have over QEII. She has dedicated herself body and soul to Britain and the Commonwealth for two thirds of her life, through the example of sacrifice and duty.

William and Kate have simply accomplished a lovely wedding and an adorable baby, by comparison.:sad:

Every positive feeling I have about Britain is somehow connected to their monarch. W/K have nothing to do with it.
 
People are living longer with each generation so the royal family are no exception.
William is the heir to the heir. He has plenty of time to work as an air ambulance officer. The public have to get used to the fact that mostly their monarch and heir will be older.
A younger, sexy, vibrant heir might sell more magazines but, fact is, Charles is the heir and his cousins and siblings are still enjoying their well earned roles assisting the Queen.
Whenever the Queen has needed William to participate in official royal engagements he seems to be present. I have no doubt that if the Queen had to step down due to ill health, or worse, that William would step up into the role of 'heir'.
Catherine and William should make the most of their family life and concentrate on getting that stable and happy - George doesn't need cameras flashing at every outing.
At the same time Catherine, I think, needs to actively spend more time supporting charity and communinty causes - for her own personal development. I will be very disappointed not to see a gradual increase in Catherine's volunteer workload and also in William's royal committments. They have the time to manage that and their family.
The media would like them both to be full time royals - photo ops every other day etc. I don't see the need for that - it's unrealistic given how old and healthy the Queen is.
 
Ish said:
...To me it often seems like when he's involved in an engagement that doesn't interest him or interacting with people that don't interest him he does so with an open disinterest.
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Great post. I agree with everything you stated.
 
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I couldn't have said it better! Great post indeed!:flowers::flowers::flowers:
 
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I'm sorry if I am re-plowing the field at all, but I lost internet connectivity last week and am playing catch up. You all probably enjoyed the break...:whistling:

After reading the press release on the EAAA job (Press release ) and visiting the EAAA site (Helicopters) I was a bit befuddled.
The 135 aircraft has room for 2 crew (pilot and emergency med person) the patient and a person accompanying the patient. So, when The Duke is co-piloting, he will be bumping the family member/friend off the flight. The press release made it sound like co-piloting was normal. It seems not.
EAAA will be taking delivery on a new 145 aircraft, which is larger and carries two pilots, three crew and a patient.
That increase in staff for the new, larger aircraft will mean that they will need to up their funding and certify existing staff on the new equipment. They are charity funded. On their jobs page, they are currently seeking Fundraisers and Medical personnel.
BTW - visit their news page to see how often their service is used. They are very busy most days!
Their Christmas catalog is out. ;)
EDIT: elsewhere on the site EAAA says the 135s fly with a doctor, paramedic, pilot and patient. If a doc and paramedic fly, I think that means no room at all for a co-pilot.
 
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If William's plan to be an ambulance pilot does not work out, then we can all be "monday morning quarterbacks" and do a chorus or 2 of "I told you so".

But it is HIS life. William is an adult and we are neither his mother or father.

We will have to see how it plays out. So much can happen in the next could of years than can be a major game changer - his grandmother or grandfather could die, or his father.

As much as some are oppose to his employment choice --- it could be so much worse. William could easily live the life of a spoiled rich aristocrat. Spending his days recovering from the night before, playing golf, and appearing at various openings or events a couple of times a week. Before this generation, that was the life of a royal.
 
XeniaCasaraghi said:
I suspect William and the people in charge know that. By the time word might spread that William is the pilot the helicopter will be gone. Does anyone know how many people he rescued in the RAF ran to the media? I would think you'd have a better chance meeting William at the local Wal Mart than calling for a rescue helicopter....wait does England have Wal mart?
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http://www.royal.gov.uk/ThecurrentRoyalFamily/PrinceWilliam/Militarycareer.aspx says he made 156 search and rescue flights over his 3 years there. There were 149 rescues.
He will be much busier at EAAA. You can check out stats here Facts and stats where it shows through April, 2014, they were averaging over 5 rides a day. In the EAAA News section - you can read about the various calls they make, day, by day.
 
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