What now for William & Catherine: Future Duties, Roles and Responsibilities


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Video: The Duke of Cambridge Interview-
Prince William: 'I don't lie awake waiting to be king' - BBC News

Prince William has done many interviews before, but this interview with BBC's Royal Correspondent, Nicholas Witchell, is by far the best interview William has ever done, IMO. Whereas other interviewers has carefully tiptoed around certain subjects with William, Nicholas went straight to the point with him and got the answers he wanted. I think we all wanted these answers.

I got the sense that William has a level head about his duties as a- husband, father, air ambulance pilot and future King. When his air ambulance contract ends, things will change and I think he's ready for it.

I'm afraid Prince William didn't strike the right tone in this interview. To me, he often came across exactly as his critics portray him, i.e. as a self-centered person who puts his family life and personal interests above public duty. I was particularly surprised that he actually implied that taking a publc role might weigh someone down "at an early age". That is quite offensive IMHO for a person who lives a life of privilege (unlike many really "weighed-down" people of a similar age) and is expected to serve the country in return for the privilege that is extended to him.

I know many posters will disagree with me, but that is how I feel about it.
 
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I think the interview was very carefully designed to look like Witchell was asking the hard hitting questions, while actually being a case of William and his team getting a very specific message out there.

Now, I tend to think it's an honest message; I do think William thinks very carefully and is highly aware of the duty he's accepted. But the interview was designed to answer the critics.
 
I saw the duty waying you down as a young age as you don't have the freedom to chose your life path, you have this role eventually that you are born into that you didn't chose that is your destiny. To fulfill this destiny your family has to die, the world will watch your every move from the day you are born until the day you die. That's a pretty heady thought especially say for a teenager. A regular teenage mind is confused enough and now drop this Royal thing on top of it.


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I think the interview was very carefully designed to look like Witchell was asking the hard hitting questions, while actually being a case of William and his team getting a very specific message out there.

Now, I tend to think it's an honest message; I do think William thinks very carefully and is highly aware of the duty he's accepted. But the interview was designed to answer the critics.

I think other interviewers have tiptoed around William too much. Nicholas Witchell decided to go there and tried to get to the bottom of the real issue at hand, IMO. William appeared cool, calm and comfortable in answering the hard hitting and inevitable questions. Both sides got what they wanted to get across.


I'm afraid Prince William didn't strike the right tone in this interview. To me, he often came across exactly as his critics portray him, i.e. as a self-centered person who puts his family life and personal interests above public duty. I was particularly surprised that he actually implied that taking a publc role might weigh someone down "at an early age". That is quite offensive IMHO for a person who lives a life of privilege (unlike many really "weighed-down" people of a similar age) and is expected to serve the country in return for the privilege that is extended to him.

I know many posters will disagree with me, but that is how I feel about it.

I believe William knows what lies ahead of him and he's ready to embrace it. Priorities have to be straight though. He knows how important royal duties are, but he must put his family first and royal duties second. One can't properly do the job, if ones private family life isn't taken care of. His top priority is his wife and kids.

His own parents did the opposite, he knows only to well how that all turned out.
 
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Video: The Duke of Cambridge Interview-
Prince William: 'I don't lie awake waiting to be king' - BBC News

Prince William has done many interviews before, but this interview with BBC's Royal Correspondent, Nicholas Witchell, is by far the best interview William has ever done, IMO. Whereas other interviewers has carefully tiptoed around certain subjects with William, Nicholas went straight to the point with him and got the answers he wanted. I think we all wanted these answers.

I got the sense that William has a level head about his duties as a- husband, father, air ambulance pilot and future King. When his air ambulance contract ends, things will change and I think he's ready for it.

I agree! The interviewer put it right out there and William answered. I very much respect his openness.
 
I agree! The interviewer put it right out there and William answered. I very much respect his openness.

I agree. William was more candid in this interview than ever before.

While watching him, I've came to the conclusion that his mother and father raised him very well. He's not an obnoxious, terribly spoiled and stuck up Prince.
 
BBC royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell (which is by far my favorite) has said live on BBC News Channel that he thinks that William will follow in the Queen's footsteps and be completely above politics, and said that this comes as a relief to many.

I can reassure both Nicholas Witchell and all the others who are concerned about the monarchy's future under Charles. As a close friend of him (which I don't remember the name of) said during the Diamond Jubilee: He's going to be as apoltical as the Queen, just wait and see.

I lov and adore the Queen, but I have read almost all her speeches, talked with many who have followed her for 50-60 years, and as several journalists/ekxperts have said: She isn't as apolitical as people think. She is known to ask very tough questions to policans, and have repeatedly shared her opinions with people, but its never been leaked to the media. And what with 1986, which could have lead to a Constitutional crisis.
 
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I'm afraid Prince William didn't strike the right tone in this interview. To me, he often came across exactly as his critics portray him, i.e. as a self-centered person who puts his family life and personal interests above public duty. I was particularly surprised that he actually implied that taking a publc role might weigh someone down "at an early age". That is quite offensive IMHO for a person who lives a life of privilege (unlike many really "weighed-down" people of a similar age) and is expected to serve the country in return for the privilege that is extended to him.

I know many posters will disagree with me, but that is how I feel about it.

I agree with you.
Prince William says being a pilot and a dad means he is 'doing another worthwhile job' | Daily Mail Online
 
I believe William knows what lies ahead of him and he's ready to embrace it. Priorities have to be straight though. He knows how important royal duties are, but he must put his family first and royal duties second. One can't properly do the job, if ones private family life isn't taken care of. His top priority is his wife and kids.

His own parents did the opposite, he knows only to well how that all turned out.


I don't see why the two things (private family life and public duty) should be incompatible. After all, we all work full-time and still have a private family life, don't we ? And it is not like Prince William is a terribly busy person to the point of having to be away from his wife and kids, as was the case with his grandmother who became queen at a much younger age than William is now.

William may have the excuse that he is not the heir (his father is), but, still, I think his sense of duty as a person directly in line to the throne is lacking compared to some of his royal counterparts in continental Europe.
 
His royal counterparts in continental Europe are children, toddlers and/or not born yet
 
A public role would "weigh someone down" at an early age - it would be really jarring to have a public role, with all the publicity, responsibility, and scrutiny that that involves, at an early age. It's probably a big part of why the Queen has never given an interview - and probably a big reason why she was a distant parent after becoming Queen at such an early age.

William said, with some conviction in his voice and manner, that he will willingly take the reins and responsibilities of royal life when the time comes for his grandmother and grandfather to step back a bit, or when they're gone. In the meantime, he clearly lets us know that his grandmother is still at the helm of the monarchy.

I don't see why the two things (private family life and public duty) should be incompatible. After all, we all work full-time and still have a private family life, don't we ? And it is not like Prince William is a terribly busy person to the point of having to be away from his wife and kids, as was the case with his grandmother who became queen at a much younger age than William is now.

William may have the excuse that he is not the heir (his father is), but, still, I think his sense of duty as a person directly in line to the throne is lacking compared to some of his royal counterparts in continental Europe.

I just don't think any of us can know what his life is or will be like as a figurehead for a nation and as a fish in fishbowl of celebrity today. That's quite different from working at a bank and then going home to family!
 
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I just don't think any of us can know what his life is or will be like as a figurehead for a nation and as a fish in fishbowl of celebrity today. That's quite different from working at a bank and then going home to family!

The same way someone like William cannot know what 'normal' life is, the pressures of everyday life to juggle job, family, relationship, money issues etc etc and struggle with it. He's cherrypicking the best out of both worlds, it seems to me.
 
His royal counterparts in continental Europe are children, toddlers and/or not born yet

Obviously, I am referring to the European heirs like Victoria and Frederik, not their children. Hence, the qualification I made before that William hides behind the excuse that he is not the heir (his father is), while at the same time conveniently ignoring that his grandmother is 90 years old and must be far more "weighed down" than he and his young family are. Whether that is the Queen's will (as William claims) or not, William should know better and ask his father and grandmother to have a bigger role.
 
The same way someone like William cannot know what 'normal' life is, the pressures of everyday life to juggle job, family, relationship, money issues etc etc and struggle with it. He's cherrypicking the best out of both worlds, it seems to me.

He may not have lived a "normal" life, but he certainly sees the difference between himself and others his own age, as he doesn't live in a box.

And, as far as the idea of him "cherry-picking" goes, we will agree to disagree. There's a lot of headache that comes with his position and always has done - including living in a fishbowl, having no mistake or misstep that is just his 'own,' seeing his parents' marriage collapse under the weight of mistakes that were there for all the world to see, and having his mother die while surrounded by paparazzi. If he chooses to try to keep some of his life private and some of his work to his liking (while the majority of royal duties are obviously and more-than-capably handled by the actual sovereign and heir), then I don't see that as "cherry-picking" - I see that as lucky.

Obviously, I am referring to the European heirs like Victoria and Frederik, not their children. Hence, the qualification I made before that William hides behind the excuse that he is not the heir (his father is), while at the same time conveniently ignoring that his grandmother is 90 years old and must be far more "weighed down" than he and his young family are. Whether that is the Queen's will (as William claims) or not, William should know better and ask his father and grandmother to have a bigger role.

Again, I think the "weighed down" quote has much more to do with the psychology of a young person rather than speaking about himself as this age.
 
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It's always seems awkward when they interview William and Charles and ask about wanting to become King. When they do become King, it is a mix of emotions, you have the challenge of this new position but it comes with the death of your parent to get it.




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I agree that with those monarchies that historically have followed a hereditary succession without abdication, it does require the death of the monarch to bring about change. CP Victoria has mentioned this in the past as well. As William put it "It means that my family has moved on."
 
He's in his mid 30's that's not a very early age. He also lives in a tax payer funded house and has just returned from a tax payer funded trip to India that most people would give their right arm for not to mention the plum seats he takes at Wimbledon, the rugby, the Olympics etc. The price for that is carrying out public duties. He can't justify delaying that side of things whilst presently embracing all the perks.
 
^^That's true. It's all very interesting to me. I mean William is in a unique situation, he's a grown man with a current monarch and another man ahead of him in line to become king. He talks about forging his own path as a monarch and to be honest, there really isn't a choice in the matter. He's got some examples, but no true modern precedent. I really can't have much judgment on it because I've got no idea what the 'right' way is. However, instinct tells me that serving the community as a pilot and spending time with his children at home whilst having some royal duties is a good way to go.

My question has always been, are not royal engagements another form of community service in the same way that his pilot work is? And also how many engagements are enough in a given year to 'pay off' his burden on the tax payer? These questions aren't mean to attack anyone's opinion, just genuine curiosity on my part.
 
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^^That's true. It's all very interesting to me. I mean William is in a unique situation, he's a grown man with a current monarch and another man ahead of him in line to become king. He talks about forging his own path as a monarch and to be honest, there really isn't a choice in the matter. He's got some examples, but no true modern precedent. I really can't have much judgment on it because I've got no idea what the 'right' way is. However, instinct tells me that serving the community as a pilot and spending time with his children at home whilst having some royal duties is a good way to go.

My question has always been, are not royal engagements another form of community service in the same way that his pilot work is? And also how many engagements are enough in a given year to 'pay off' his burden on the tax payer? These questions aren't mean to attack anyone's opinion, just genuine curiosity on my part.

I agree with you - and I suspect the last couple of questions would bring different answers from different people.
 
Obviously, I am referring to the European heirs like Victoria and Frederik, not their children. Hence, the qualification I made before that William hides behind the excuse that he is not the heir (his father is), while at the same time conveniently ignoring that his grandmother is 90 years old and must be far more "weighed down" than he and his young family are. Whether that is the Queen's will (as William claims) or not, William should know better and ask his father and grandmother to have a bigger role.

To be honest William does around the same amount of engagement that Victoria and Fred do year around 100+, so really he's right in step with his so call European counterpart.

His father secretary (it might have been another staff member) already came out and said Charles can't afford to his children to do more b/c they don't have the finance for it. I don't know what people wants William to do, go ask the Queen to fired people like Ed and Sophie? That would be fine with me but I'm not sure if they Queen is all for that.
 
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I agree. William was more candid in this interview than ever before.

While watching him, I've came to the conclusion that his mother and father raised him very well. He's not an obnoxious, terribly spoiled and stuck up Prince.

ITA. Excellent interview. Perhaps we can stop hearing (here anyway) about how he is refusing to take up his duties and runs roughshod over the wishes of the Queen.

It's very clear that his father and grandmother want to give him the opportunity they never had with their own families. Also they didn't want to toss him into the deep in (as what happened with the Queen and more to a point Diana) without building up to that level of things.

William has made it very clear that he is going to step up and take on more responsibility when it's time to....and he won't be renewing his contract with air ambulance.

I also think it's great they are able to somewhat shield George from all of it where they live.


LaRae
 
Regarding the comment about the weight of public duty, I thought he meant it was weighing on his grandmother. I'll have to go back and listen again because that is how I took it in the context he brought it up.
 
Since his role as a public civilian, rescue pilot will most likely be done when the contract is up, I wonder which members of the BRF will lessen their roles in other to make room in the budget for William and Catherine. It ain't going to be Charles or the Queen that for sure
 
:previous: QEII and the DoE are keeping on with their engagements, but they appear to be structured to reduce travel and to occur at Windsor or BP. My guess would be that we're going to read an announcement in the coming years that HM's oldest cousins: Edward and Alexandra Kent will be the first to "retire." Then the Gloucesters will eventually do the same. I doubt that any of Charles' siblings/spouses will be stepping down from a full time role while QEII is the monarch.

To be honest William does around the same amount of engagement that Victoria and Fred do year around 100+, so really he's right in step with his so call European counterpart.

His father secretary (it might have been another staff member) already came out and said Charles can't afford to his children to do more b/c they don't have the finance for it. I don't know what people wants William to do, go ask the Queen to fired people like Ed and Sophie? That would be fine with me but I'm not sure if they Queen is all for that.

Yes I agree that he is doing around the same number of engagements as his father's current adult peers:Nahurito, Victoria, Haakon, Guillaume, and Frederik.
 
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Yes I agree that he is doing around the same number of engagements as his father's current adult peers:Nahurito, Victoria, Haakon, Guillaume, and Frederik.


I don't know about Japan, but of course the royal families of low-populated countries like Sweden, Denmark, Norway or tiny Luxembourg (with only 500,000 people !) will always have fewer annual engagements than the British royal family. That comparison doesn't make sense then to gauge one's commitment to public service as you are comparing apples to oranges.
 
Than why did you compare them in the first place?
 
I don't see why the two things (private family life and public duty) should be incompatible. After all, we all work full-time and still have a private family life, don't we ? And it is not like Prince William is a terribly busy person to the point of having to be away from his wife and kids, as was the case with his grandmother who became queen at a much younger age than William is now.

William may have the excuse that he is not the heir (his father is), but, still, I think his sense of duty as a person directly in line to the throne is lacking compared to some of his royal counterparts in continental Europe.

What I'm saying and- I think William is saying- there must be a good balance between the two. His personal family background wasn't founded in that way. Royal duties came first, but their family life was left to fall apart.

When his contract is up, William will step into his full time role as a senior royal though. He knows that's just how it's got to be and I think he and Catherine are ready for it.
 
I don't see why the two things (private family life and public duty) should be incompatible. After all, we all work full-time and still have a private family life, don't we ? And it is not like Prince William is a terribly busy person to the point of having to be away from his wife and kids, as was the case with his grandmother who became queen at a much younger age than William is now.

William may have the excuse that he is not the heir (his father is), but, still, I think his sense of duty as a person directly in line to the throne is lacking compared to some of his royal counterparts in continental Europe.
For me, this is THE problem that I have with William, and that is the message that royal duty gets in the way of him being the kind of father he wants to be and the implication that it is royal duty itself that is incompatible with him being a good father. If William, once he got a taste of royal work, decided that he loved princely work and wanted it to be his post-military vocation and he also wanted to be a family man, I don't think that he would be confronted with the problem that his job as a full-time prince does not allow him to be an involved father to his children. Yes that would have been a problem for a British prince in 1916 but not in 2016, it is not as if the Queen is going to be send him off to some outpost of the British Empire for months on end.

I think that the "problem" is that William would rather be doing something else than being a full-time royal. I can understand that in the sense that William's destiny has been decided for him because he is the first-born of a future monarch and that it does not always work out that the person's birthright and his own wants and needs align. If the message is that William loves being an air ambulance pilot because it combines two of his passions: flying and helping others and that he feels incredibly blessed that he has the support of his father and grandmother, and that they are both going strong in their roles [despite their advanced ages] so that he does not have to make the hard choices that others have had to make, I can totally get on-board with that message, and in fairness to William I think that has been somewhat articulated, but then other comments get thrown in that come off to me as slights against royal duty.

P.S.
Did I hear correctly that William does not think that he will renew his contract with EAAA?
 
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:previous:

That's right! His contract finishes next year.
 
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Video: The Duke of Cambridge Interview-
Prince William: 'I don't lie awake waiting to be king' - BBC News

Prince William has done many interviews before, but this interview with BBC's Royal Correspondent, Nicholas Witchell, is by far the best interview William has ever done, IMO. Whereas other interviewers has carefully tiptoed around certain subjects with William, Nicholas went straight to the point with him and got the answers he wanted. I think we all wanted these answers.

I got the sense that William has a level head about his duties as a- husband, father, air ambulance pilot and future King. When his air ambulance contract ends, things will change and I think he's ready for it.

That was an EXCELLENT interview. It sounds like when his contract with Air Ambulanceis is up he will step up to more royal duties. I think he is wisely taking advantage of the opportunity he has to not be a full time royal right now and concentrate on his family, something his mother nor his father had the opportunity to do given their roles as the Monarch and POW. Also, I am sure he thinks back to his own unstable childhood and wants to give his children as much stability as he possibly can. I really don't blame him and think it is admirable to put his family first while he has the opportunity.

ITA. Excellent interview. Perhaps we can stop hearing (here anyway) about how he is refusing to take up his duties and runs roughshod over the wishes of the Queen.

It's very clear that his father and grandmother want to give him the opportunity they never had with their own families. Also they didn't want to toss him into the deep in (as what happened with the Queen and more to a point Diana) without building up to that level of things.

William has made it very clear that he is going to step up and take on more responsibility when it's time to....and he won't be renewing his contract with air ambulance.

I also think it's great they are able to somewhat shield George from all of it where they live.


LaRae

When does his contract with Air Ambulance end?
 
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