Despite Talks of "Change" When He Becomes King, Prince William Is "Conservative" and a "Traditionalist" at Heart, Says Royal Source
The Prince of Wales is unlikely to completely overhaul the monarchy, but will be a "more modern" monarch.
Prince William hasn’t been shy about sharing his plans to modernize the monarchy. Last year, he appeared on an episode of Eugene Levy’s The Reluctant Traveler, stating that when he becomes King, “the bit that excites me is the idea of being able to bring some change.” But in the Daily Mail’s latest issue of its Palace Confidential e-mail newsletter, royal editor Rebecca English says that a source pushed back on concerns that William’s Kingship will look radically different than his father’s.
A source told English that even though Prince William wants to take another look at certain royal practices, he’s not going to reinvent the wheel. “The thing to remember is that a) they [William and Catherine] are quite conservative and b) they are traditionalists, so the idea that there will be no Trooping the Colour or Coronation is never going to be the case,” the insider said.
The source added that William and Kate “see the power of what the institution does.” This sentiment is similar to what the Prince of Wales said during The Reluctant Traveler when discussing his plans for change.
Prince William and Princess Kate are pictured at Garter Day in June 2025.
Prince William is pictured kneeling in front of King Charles at his coronation.
“I think it’s very important that tradition stays, and tradition has a huge part in all of this,” the prince said when describing the monarchy. “But there’s also points where you look at tradition and go, is that still fit for purpose today? Is that still the right thing to do? Are we still doing and having the most impact we could be having?”
English noted that after speaking to the Prince of Wales and those around him, the public should “expect a pruning back of the pomp and ceremony we see now,” but “not an abandonment of it.” Events like the Order of the Garter ceremony with its elaborate plumed caps and velvet capes might get a modern upgrade, but they're unlikely to be eliminated entirely.
According to English’s source, Prince William still plans to “question the way things are done and potentially look at doing things differently, in a more modern way,” using what the Prince of Wales has changed with running the Duchy of Cornwall as an example.
“But while there has been a lot of talk—including from him—about change for the future, it’s important to remember who they are and how they think about things,” the source added of William and Kate.
