The "Massive Responsibility" Prince William Is Preparing Son Prince George to Take Over as the Future Heir

"We can do so much more," the Prince of Wales explained.

Prince George and Prince William attend a football match
(Image credit: Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Prince George has a bright future ahead of him. When his father, Prince William, becomes king, George will be the heir apparent, and he'll eventually assume the role of monarch himself. Following the revelation that Prince William wants Prince George to follow in Princess Diana's footsteps, and that the 11-year-old royal has already been receiving kingship lessons, a new profile of the Prince of Wales hints at another aspect of Prince George's future.

The Telegraph recently shadowed Prince William during one of his visits to the Duchy of Cornwall. William, of course, inherited the duchy when King Charles acceded the throne. The duchy—which consists of "128,494 acres of land across 20 counties," per The Telegraph—provides a large source of private income for the Prince of Wales. And when William becomes king, George will take over the Duchy of Cornwall.

Discussing his hopes for the future of the duchy, which his son will run, William told the outlet, "We're not the traditional landowner...We want to be more than that."

Princess Kate, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Prince Louis and Prince William at a VE Day parade

Prince George will inherit the Duchy of Cornwall.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Elaborating on his plans, Prince William told The Telegraph, "I see the duchy as an extension of the work we do with the Royal Foundation." He continued, "I see it as a branch of my philanthropy...There's so much good we can do in the rural world. I see [the duchy] as another arm to the work that I want to do, which is being a positive force for good."

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"I see the duchy as an extension of the work we do with the Royal Foundation."

(Image credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

William further explained, "The duchy has been a positive force for good, but we can do so much more."

As reported by The Telegraph, William's aims include "ending homelessness to restoring rivers," and he hopes he can make a real difference within the duchy. Alongside aiding those experiencing homelessness, William's work includes "supporting the mental health of farmers, and arranging get-togethers to combat rural loneliness," the outlet reported.

As the future owner of the Duchy of Cornwall, Prince George will inherit the responsibilities his father is handling with aplomb. Per the Express, Prince George is likely being prepared for the "massive responsibility" that lies in his future. "The estate will be handed to Prince George and will be in good hands," the outlet reported.

Amy Mackelden
Weekend Editor

Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.