EXCLUSIVE: How Prince William Showed Years Ago How He Intends to Rule — By Rejecting Huge Royal Privilege Enjoyed By His Father Charles
Prince William is said to have big plans for when he becomes king.
May 31 2026, Published 5:00 p.m. ET
Prince William signaled how he intends to rule as future king by rejecting one of the monarchy's grandest royal traditions and refusing to repeat the lavish Prince of Wales investiture ceremony that defined his father King Charles' rise to prominence.
RadarOnline.com can reveal William, 43, quietly turned down plans for a formal investiture after inheriting the Prince of Wales title in 2022 following Queen Elizabeth II's death and Charles' accession to the throne – with insiders saying it was a "show of strength" and early signal of how he intended to rule once he fulfills his destiny by being crowned.
Prince William rejected plans for a formal Prince of Wales investiture.
Unlike his father, Charles, 77, whose elaborate 1969 investiture at Caernarfon Castle in Wales was televised to hundreds of millions around the world, William opted instead for a far more understated approach focused on local visits alongside his wife, Princess Catherine, 44.
Royal insiders and biographers now told us the decision reflected William's determination to "modernize" and "slim down" the monarchy and distance himself from what some younger royals view as outdated pomp and pageantry.
One palace source said: "William privately felt that recreating the kind of grand investiture staged for Charles in 1969 would have sent the wrong message about the monarchy at a time when the public expects far greater humility and modernity – and less lavish spending of taxpayers' money – from the Royal Family.
"He believes enormous ceremonial pageantry belongs to a previous generation and is increasingly out of step with how younger people view public institutions."
Future King William Prioritizes Service Over Spectacle
Prince William's choice broke directly with a grand tradition that defined his father.
The source added: "William's priority is building a monarchy that feels accessible, relevant, and connected to everyday life rather than one defined by extravagant rituals and displays of inherited privilege. William is very conscious that public trust now depends far more on authenticity and service than spectacle.
"Turning down the traditional investiture was interpreted by many inside the palace as a hugely symbolic moment because it made clear William is prepared to reshape certain aspects of royal life rather than simply preserve every convention for tradition's sake.
The insider noted, "There was a recognition internally that this decision drew a very sharp contrast with Charles' generation. William is willing to question whether certain ceremonies still carry meaning with the public, and if he feels they no longer do, he has no hesitation about quietly discarding them in favor of something more understated and contemporary."
Prince William and Princess Catherine have focused on low-key community visits.
Instead of recreating his father's heavily choreographed ceremony at St David's Cathedral or Caernarfon Castle, William and Catherine carried out lower-key engagements in Anglesey and Swansea, locations with personal significance for the couple after they lived in Anglesey for three years following their 2011 wedding.
Charles' investiture as Prince of Wales remains one of the defining royal spectacles of the late 20th century.
During the ceremony, Queen Elizabeth II presented him with the Prince of Wales's sword, coronet, ring, rod, and mantle before a global television audience estimated at more than 500 million people.
Prince William Prepares for Role as King
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Prince William wants a smaller, slimmed-down monarchy, insiders claimed.
Another palace insider said William increasingly believes the survival of the monarchy depends on appearing less extravagant and more in touch with ordinary life.
The source added: "William is acutely aware that younger generations no longer automatically embrace the monarchy in the way previous eras did, and he believes public expectations have fundamentally changed. Lavish ceremonies and large-scale royal pageantry can now risk appearing disconnected from ordinary people's realities, especially at a time when many families are struggling financially.
"There is a strong feeling around William that the future survival of the monarchy depends on showing restraint, practicality, and a better understanding of the national mood rather than relying on grandeur or royal traditions. "William wants the institution to project competence, empathy, and relevance instead of seeming trapped in centuries of elaborate tradition. He believes the monarchy has to evolve into something more streamlined and emotionally aware if it is going to maintain public support in the decades ahead.
"Rather than endless ritual and formality, William's vision is for a Royal Family that appears approachable, purposeful, and connected to modern Britain. He sees that as far more valuable now than ceremonial excess or displays of inherited privilege," the insider continued.
"He and Catherine have increasingly emphasized a smaller-scale, family-focused approach to royal life as William gradually prepares for his future role as king."
