Former Royal Butler Says Prince William Is Showing He's a Modern Man With One Thing Prince Philip or King Charles Would "Never Do"
Grant Harrold weighs in on the Prince of Wales's refreshing change in royal protocol.
With the World Cup approaching, royal watchers are eagerly awaiting to see if Prince William heads stateside to watch England compete. Nothing has been confirmed just yet, but if the Prince of Wales cheers on his team in the United States, he’s sure to show his passion for the game. William might look like any other soccer fan when he sings “Sweet Caroline” at matches for his beloved club, Aston Villa, but former royal butler Grant Harrold says that the prince's game-day behavior marks a “modern” change for the Royal Family.
Speaking to OLBG, Harrold, who worked for The King for nearly a decade, said that William’s cheering and dancing at matches “is a sign that the younger royals are relaxing protocols.”
“When I was there, there were strict protocols we were given if we went into a royal box or an area with the royals, of how you could behave, what you could wear, what you could say, what you could do,” the former butler says. “The fact that he is acting like any other football fan, which we would have never seen his grandmother or grandfather do, or even his father, shows how he is relaxing things and a sign of things to come.”
Prince William watches Aston Villa's win in the UEFA Europa League final match on May 21.
The Prince of Wales and his friends celebrate at an Aston Villa match on May 7.
Prince George and Prince William were all smiles at an 2025 Aston Villa match.
The Prince of Wales is often spotted in the crowd at Aston Villa matches with his lifelong friends and occasionally, his 12-year-old son, Prince George. And last summer, William brought Princess Charlotte to Switzerland to watch England’s national women’s team, the Lionesses, defeat Spain in the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 Final.
Instead of having a “poker face” like royals of the past, Harrold says that for “normal fan” Prince William, “protocol goes out the window.”
“Traditionally, the royals would come in, be greeted, and do their handshakes. Sit there quietly, have a poker face, watching the game, giving no insight into which team they were supporting,” he shares. “It’s difficult to say what the protocols are now, as William makes it very clear which team he is fighting for; while the late Queen was very neutral, William is biased.”
As for the future King's potential trip to America, watch this space.
