Prince William's Suitability to be King

[Skippyboo]

The laws of successions are defined by British laws. The Queen can't change them- only the British parliament can.


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[Iluvbertie]

Another question and I do not mean to sound disrespectful. Just asking opinions.
Do you think when the inevitable happens the Queen will name Prince William as the new King? And why or why not?

The Queen's role in deciding her successor ended in 1948 when she gave birth to Charles. From that moment on he was, and is, her heir apparent. She can't change that.

Parliament could attempt to do so but...they also would need the legislation passed in the other realms' parliaments due to the fact that the future monarch will also be the monarch of countries such as Canada and Australia. With legislation on which they agreed to begin with - the Succession to the Crown Act - it took them from October 2011 until March 2015 to get it through all the relevant parliaments.


As there is no reason to bypass Charles, who is highly respected for his work in many areas, even if he isn't beloved, they other realms probably wouldn't agree meaning that the legislation could very well not pass and then there would be a public split between the realms. The other very real possibility would be that it was passed in some realms but not others when The Queen passes and thus Charles would be King with clear legislation suggesting he isn't wanted in some places but he was king anyway.

If the Queen had the power, which she doesn't, why would the Queen want to bypass Charles in the first place? That would be a clear admission that she was a failure at one of her most important roles - preparing her successor to take over.

 

[grevinnan]

Another question and I do not mean to sound disrespectful. Just asking opinions.
Do you think when the inevitable happens the Queen will name Prince William as the new King? And why or why not?

Because the heir to the throne is the Prince of Wales. He has prepared his whole life for the role and is about as prepared as any heir could be. He will be an excellent king. Prince Williams time will come.

 

[Lee27]

If Charles lives as long as his parents, then William and Catherine will be middle-aged and there will be people clamoring for Charles to skip over William for George.

There was never any question that Edward would succeed George V despite his relationship with Wallis Simpson. He could have kept the crown if he was willing not to marry her. No matter the faults or weaknesses of the heir - if they out live the monarch, they become king/queen.

 

[Mbruno]

If Charles lives as long as his parents, then William and Catherine will be middle-aged and there will be people clamoring for Charles to skip over William for George.

There was never any question that Edward would succeed George V despite his relationship with Wallis Simpson. He could have kept the crown if he was willing not to marry her. No matter the faults or weaknesses of the heir - if they out live the monarch, they become king/queen.

Prince William is only 33. I don't know when he will be king, but, if I were to guess, I'd say it will probably be when he's between 55 and 60 years old, which is the current age bracket of King Philippe of the Belgians for example.Philippe is nonetheless normally regarded as a "young king", especially in comparison to his 81-year-old father.

I don't think William's age at the time of accession will be an issue then. If Charles, on the other hand, becomes king at the age of 78 for example, that might be an issue for some people, certainly not something that would prevent his accession, but an issue nonetheless.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

The original question, of William's suitability is not so relevant. Even if he was an idiot, he will be King. After all he can do nothing without the grey men. They will steer the King and shield him. No problem.

 

[RoyaltyPortuguese]

I think William will be a good king, he will not be alone and will have a team to work with. William has shown he is prepared for the moment we will have to assume this responsibility, such as when is the UK abroad.
If he now had to be king, he would do it well and be prepared for it, that is my opinion.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Edward VIII showed how little influence the 'grey men' have IF the King isn't going to be guided by them and William strikes me as even more stubborn and sure of his own belief that he knows how to do things than Edward ever did. If that is the case then he could be a poor king and could see the entire set up end - but hopefully he will have another 30 - 40 years (given the longevity of the Windsor-Mountbatten genes and improvements in health care it isn't beyond the realms of possibility that Charles could live to be 105 or so) to learn the job.

 

[Mbruno]

Edward VIII showed how little influence the 'grey men' have IF the King isn't going to be guided by them and William strikes me as even more stubborn and sure of his own belief that he knows how to do things than Edward ever did. If that is the case then he could be a poor king and could see the entire set up end - but hopefully he will have another 30 - 40 years (given the longevity of the Windsor-Mountbatten genes and improvements in health care it isn't beyond the realms of possibility that Charles could live to be 105 or so) to learn the job.

Difficult to tell.

William is far less controversial than his father. In the few recent occasions when he represented the Queen overseas in an official capacity, e.g. in his WWI centenary speech in Belgium or in his Canada Day speech in Ottawa, he followed the script to the letter, much like his grandmother. He doesn't "speak his mind" very often as Charles does. If anything, the biggest criticism he gets is that he doesn't seem to be really interested in a wide range of issues other than his family (wife and kids), flying helicopters, or rugby/football.

 

[TLLK]

At this point in time, William does seem to understand the need for diplomacy and neutrality when representing the UK much like his grandmother.

 

[Pranter]

It would be something to see if he has his mother's ability to express sympathy and natural charm along with the Queens sense of decorum/duty/loyalty/country. A wonderful King he could make.


LaRae

 

[Queen Camilla]

William's suitability comes into question due to his lack of experience.

The Queen is Britain's chief ambassador.

One of the Queen's duties is to entertain foreign leaders at BP.

William's lack of experience in this field is evident.

A lot of people keep making excuses for him saying he is not the heir.

He may not be the heir but he is 33 years old.
The Queen is 89, Charles is 66.
Anything could happen and he'll end up overwhelmed with duties.

William need to start attending the State Dinners.

During State Dinners, he may not be placed next to the Head of State but he will be seated next to leaders from the visiting country.

 

[Rudolph]

Clearly William's future subjects think he is more than suitable. Although not a popularity contest almost every opinion poll in the last 15 years has shown that the public would prefer William as their next king.

So not only do they think William is 'suitable' they think he should be king ahead of Charles.

 

[Dman]

William's suitability comes into question due to his lack of experience.

The Queen is Britain's chief ambassador.

One of the Queen's duties is to entertain foreign leaders at BP.

William's lack of experience in this field is evident.

A lot of people keep making excuses for him saying he is not the heir.

He may not be the heir but he is 33 years old.
The Queen is 89, Charles is 66.
Anything could happen and he'll end up overwhelmed with duties.

William need to start attending the State Dinners.

During State Dinners, he may not be placed next to the Head of State but he will be seated next to leaders from the visiting country.

From what I understand, William is now on the path to gaining these experiences. There are reports that he and Catherine will be attending their first State Banquet for the Chinese State Visit. He's also conducting Investitures on behalf of The Queen, he's attending the Duchy of Cornwall meeting with The Prince of Wales, he has observed The Queen during an Audience, and he and Catherine have started to attend the Royal Reception of the Diplomatic Corps at Buckingham Palace.

I agree, there is a need to step things up and that's now happening.

 

[Ish]

William's suitability comes into question due to his lack of experience.

I don't think William's experience is an issue at all.

He may not have as much experience as his father or grandmother - but he's in his early 60s, while they're considerably older.

How much experience did Charles have at age 33? Probably more than William does now, although I don't think as much as people seem to claim.

The Queen had considerable experience by the time she was 33, but then she'd been the monarch for 8 years. How much experience did she have at the age of 25? And while I wouldn't be surprised if people questioned her suitability at that point, 63 years later she's proven herself.

I don't think William's lack of experience is an issue at all. I don't think his education is an issue either.

I worry not about that, but about whether or not he wants the role, whether or not his personality is adept at being in the spotlight. Long gone are the days where the monarch can be reclusive. The monarch is expected to be seen by the public, to have a relationship with the press, and to fulfil duties that are ceremonial and full of pomp.

In that regards I worry about William as monarch. He seems to be a person who would rather not be noticed for things than be noticed. He doesn't maintain a good relationship with the press, and doesn't seem to make the distinction between press and paparazzi - and while the paparazzi should be seen as a pest, the press should be seen as a tool that can be used by the BRF or against them. He doesn't seem to take satisfaction from performing the more ceremonial, fluff filled aspects of the role. While I think it's hugely important for royals to have their causes that they champion, the ribbon cuttings and more menial royal duties are something of its bread and butter - and are actually important for the monarch, who is to be seen as politically impartial and serving the people, to fulfill.

What worries me most about William is that in this age, a bad monarch or an indifferent one is one that will threaten the continuation of the monarchy, especially if the monarch doesn't have the press on their side. I don't think William is going to be a bad king, but I worry that he'll be an indifferent one and that he'll raise George to have similar issues.

 

[Skippyboo]

William has done multiple overseas tours meeting the leaders of various countries. He just did a tour of Japan and China this year. Two countries that are highly concerned about protocol. He had two face to face discussions with the U.S. president.

Attending a state dinner is not that difficult to learn, eat a dinner, make small talk, don't offend the visitors.

The Queen isn't the chief ambassador for the UK. She is not discussing government policies with the ministers of the foreign countries. She isn't on the phone with Merkel discussing what to do with the refugees. There is a elected government that runs the country. The Queen is the ceremonial head of state. She is the UK's hostess. Welcoming people, small chit chat and move on to the next person. Don't get caught like Charles insulting the people you are visiting or hostess by calling them old waxworks.


He already participants in a majority of the ceremonial events- trooping the Colour, investitures, Gartner service, thistle service, diplomatic reception, Remembrance Day. He has served in RAF, RN and Army so he is comfortable with the military and military events. Once he goes to a state dinner. The only thing left is Ascot which is riding in a carriage in a morning suit and top hat and then watching horse races from a plush royal box.

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[TLLK]

^^^Thank you for reminding us of the facts Skippyboo.

 

[Curryong]

I think an indifferent monarch, who can't raise enthusiasm for his royal role or isn't really terribly interested in the ritual of it or in performing royal duties is a danger. This isn't because they would be a bad monarch, simply a dull and not very inspiring one. And I'm sorry, but at the moment I can't see that William is particularly interested in anything much to do with his future role as king.

While it's not completely necessary for a monarch, walking through royal engagements as if you would rather be somewhere else and not showing some warmth and enthusiasm for your allotted tasks in life would soon be noticed by the general public in my opinion.

 

[AfricanAUSSIE]

William strikes me as being different from the generations before him.

He appears to me to be more wilful and less interested in the role. This may change with time of course.

If he does become king, I imagine the stage will be different and he a different actor on that stage.

Will be interesting to see, if we are still alive.

 

[Dman]

I think he's interested in royal duties, I think there's a lack of insight into him carrying out his royal duties. We have seen documentaries of The Queen, Princess Anne, Charles, and even Prince Philip working and fulfilling their royal duties, but we haven't seen anything like that with William. We really don't know what he thinks and feel about carrying out Investitures or even seeing him working at his office, while planning his official diary. I think if people were given an exclusive access to his day to day like as a senior member of the royal family, perhaps that would shine some light on his roles.

 

[Osipi]

Actually I find it quite hard to believe that William is indifferent when it comes to the roles he'll participate in if/when he does become King. In fact, I'd feel safe to say that William would be the King that brought the monarchy closer to the people. One example I can think of off the top of my head was the very royal wedding put together with all the pomp and circumstance that could be mustered for Will and Kate's wedding. The night before the ceremony, William himself went out among the people gathering to watch as he left Clarence House. We are now hearing that William and Harry along with Peter Phillips are conspiring to throw a huge street party for HM's 90th birthday celebrating the 600 patronages the Queen holds.

He's had a master of the fine art of being a monarch as his tutor for a very long time, his parents showed by example how to interact with the people (Diana) and how to give 150% to the things you're passionate about (Charles) and stick with it and last but not least, William will have a strong support system with his wife and brother by his side. Combine all this with what I feel is a genuine desire to serve and support people, I think he's going to do just fine when the time comes.

 

[Iluvbertie]

I love the use of the word 'conspiring' with regards to the street party. It was announced while I was in the UK that that was going to be one of the events - no mention then of them being involved at all - just it was happening as the third event over that weekend.


He reminds me a lot of Edward VIII - did what he absolutely had to do and no more and not really keen on doing it but could make people think that he cared.


I don't see any desire on his part to help the people but rather he wants to retreat from them - and who can blame him - given the scars he must have emotionally from the demands of the public when his mother died. I suspect he would be far happier to cut the garbage royal engagements - the openings, and banal meetings etc that fill the diaries of the minor royals and just concentrate on the big events - with just him, Kate and his children doing any and only because they have to do so. He has never seemed to really connect with the people - he is usually stiff and uncomfortable but goes through the motions - knows what to do and say but heart not in it.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I think an indifferent monarch, who can't raise enthusiasm for his royal role or isn't really terribly interested in the ritual of it or in performing royal duties is a danger. This isn't because they would be a bad monarch, simply a dull and not very inspiring one. And I'm sorry, but at the moment I can't see that William is particularly interested in anything much to do with his future role as king.

[....]

King Carl XVI Gustaf, King Harald V, King Willem-Alexander, King Philippe, Grand-Duke Henri, King Felipe, none of them are too charismatic and overly enthusiast guys. None of their monarchies is in danger because of that. Maybe it is the contrary: a King whom is too interested, too involved, too hands-on is a threat to the monarchy because the politicians will become irritated.

 

[Osipi]

I don't see any desire on his part to help the people but rather he wants to retreat from them - and who can blame him - given the scars he must have emotionally from the demands of the public when his mother died. I suspect he would be far happier to cut the garbage royal engagements - the openings, and banal meetings etc that fill the diaries of the minor royals and just concentrate on the big events - with just him, Kate and his children doing any and only because they have to do so. He has never seemed to really connect with the people - he is usually stiff and uncomfortable but goes through the motions - knows what to do and say but heart not in it.

Over the years watching The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry being formed and growing, I keep getting the niggling feeling that this kind of thing will be the wave of the future with many charities and patronages under the umbrella of a foundation. With seeing United for Wildlife gaining momentum as a global organization and Harry's hands on experiences in Africa before being named as an ambassador for United for Wildlife, we're seeing several independent organizations work together for a common cause. Harry spearheads the military angle of the foundation I think with his work with Walking with the Wounded and the Invictus Games. It is along these lines that Harry will be working as a civilian I've read. Kate mostly supports charities and organizations that pertain to different issues involving children and their needs.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised at all if the trend goes from the banal cutting of ribbons and unveiling plaques to the planning of the larger events that will put several organizations working together for a common cause. We'll just have to wait and see.

 

[Osipi]

King Carl XVI Gustaf, King Harald V, King Willem-Alexander, King Philippe, Grand-Duke Henri, King Felipe, none of them are too charismatic and overly enthusiast guys. None of their monarchies is in danger because of that. Maybe it is the contrary: a King whom is too interested, too involved, too hands-on is a threat to the monarchy because the politicians will become irritated.

Just had a flashback to the hue and cry over Charles' "spider letters".

Although the publishing of the letters did more good for Charles than harm, I think this is a perfect example of the point you were trying to make.

 

[Curryong]

Yes, in a Pariamentary democracy there can be too much of a good thing! There can be a balance, though.
I didn't really mean enthusiastic in personality (though King Harald can be) but enthusiastic about the monarchy and their role in it. You can see, for example that King Felipe really strives 100% in what he does, and it has really helped the monarchy's position in Spain. Plus, he interacts with others when he meets crowds. I just don't see that in William.

 

[Rudolph]

I've never interacted with William but listening to people who have he seems to be charming and down to earth.

I think its a case of we see what we want to see. As I stated in my earlier post clearly the British people have faith in William. So much so that they would rather Charles be skipped and have William as the next king.

If the British didn't think William 'suitable' this issue of the next king wouldn't even register.

 

[eya]

I have the feeling that William has not even the confidence they need. We need to focus more on his duties as heir (not so little anymore). He prefers for now to have a job you love and be away from all this. Time will show....

 

[Rudolph]

^^^ The British public also prefers him to have a job. A YouGov poll from April found only 10 percent of people think William should focus solely on royal duties. 76 percent said he should fly an air ambulance.

 

[AfricanAUSSIE]

Surely this day and age, he can just call it a day? If he really hates the role why not just let it go?

He may hate it but not want to let it go. The question there would be: why?