Prince William, the Prince of Wales and the next in line to the British throne, is taking a different approach from the traditional ways of the royal family. Instead of following old customs and attending countless royal events, he wants to focus more on meaningful projects that can create real change.
According to people close to the royal family, Prince William, who is now 42 years old, believes it’s better to focus on important projects rather than simply supporting many charities just for appearances. Alastair Martin, who has worked with both King Charles and Prince William at the Duchy of Cornwall, shared a story that shows how William works differently. Martin said that when he started working with William, the Prince gave him his personal mobile number and told him to just send him a message directly whenever needed. This was a big shift from King Charles’s way of doing things, where everything went through formal phone calls and offices.
Martin explained that William is very hands-on and often sends messages over the weekend, keeping communication quick and direct. If something good or bad happens, William expects to be updated right away and he responds quickly too.
Former Foreign Secretary William Hague, who has worked with William for over ten years, praised William’s energetic style. Hague shared that after he left government, William called him with an idea. Governments were moving too slowly on stopping the illegal wildlife trade, so William suggested getting businesses involved instead. Hague said that William is not a fan of long meetings or endless discussions. He is the kind of person who says, “There’s been too much talking, we need to act.”
Even though William is friendly and easy to talk to, Hague said he is very serious about getting results. If you work with him, you need to show real progress, because William wants to see actual changes, not just promises.
One of the best examples of William’s approach is the Earthshot Prize, which he launched in 2020. It is inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s famous “moonshot” challenge. The Earthshot Prize awards £1 million each to five innovative projects every year that help tackle big environmental problems. The next Earthshot Prize ceremony will take place in Brazil, just before the United Nations climate summit, COP30.
Prince William is also deeply committed to ending homelessness. He created a five-year project called “Homewards” that aims to make homelessness rare and temporary across the UK. This passion comes from his late mother, Princess Diana, who was known for her compassion and charity work. William even spent a night sleeping on the streets in 2009 to understand what homeless people go through. More recently, he has been seen selling the Big Issue magazine alongside vendors to raise awareness.
Many royal experts see Prince William’s actions as a clear sign that he wants to modernize the monarchy. Rather than just showing up for ceremonies, William wants to lead efforts that produce real, lasting results. His focus is shifting the royal family towards real action and away from traditional formalities.
