Prince William Just Took One of Charles’ Remaining Jobs After Reports He’s Becoming King ‘Earlier Than Expected’
Prince William is taking up more responsibilities. The Prince of Wales was named the Duchy of Cornwall after King Charles‘ Coronation and he opened up to the Telegraph for the first time about what he actually does.
The Duchy of Cornwall was established in the 14th century, and those who bear the title are responsible for an estate spanning over 20 counties in England and Wales worth over $1 billion that provides funds for the heir. The prince told The Telegraph, “I see the Duchy as an extension of the work we do with the Royal Foundation,” the charity he runs with his wife Kate Middleton.
“I see it as a branch of my philanthropy,” he added. “There’s so much good we can do in the rural world. I see it [the Duchy] as another arm to the work that I want to do, which is being a positive force for good.”
According to the duchy’s secretary, Will Bax, the heir’s responsibiliities is “pretty demanding” — in a “great” and “ambitious” way. “He’s easy to follow because he’s got great conviction and personality, and he really wears his heart on his sleeve in terms of social interest and his desire to have a positive impact in the world,” he reflected.
Director Ben Murphy also added that William has “healthy impatience, as his father did,” which “puts the wind in our sails.”
The job comes after reports that succession plans are ramping up. “The people I’ve spoken to have said that the succession planning, as they call it, began even before Charles’ diagnosis,” royal author Tom Quinn told Harper’s Bazaar recently. “I mean, he’s the oldest Prince of Wales to become king in history, so succession planning had begun before Charles came to the throne simply because of the age issue.”
One of William’s first duties as king is that he wants to strike a much harsher tone with his brother, Prince Harry. “It’s no secret William wants Harry more harshly dealt with. He thinks he has betrayed the family from top to bottom, which is the ultimate Windsor crime. It wouldn’t take much to provoke him to flex his muscles when he is king,” a palace insider told The Daily Beast.
