Over the years, many royal experts have weighed in on how they believe Prince William and Kate Middleton will revolutionise the monarchy when they take the throne. The Duchess of Cambridge has been described as 'a secret radical' quietly changing the crown, and some have gone so far to say that she 'holds the future of the monarchy in her hands'.
However, following their royal tour in the Caribbean, insiders have stated that William faces real difficulties if he wants to reinvent the monarchy when he becomes King.
The couple spent 8 days travelling through Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas on their first official trip abroad since the start of the pandemic. They faced criticism for their visit, with protesters gathering in Kingston before their arrival calling for the monarchy to apologise for their history of colonialism and make slavery reparations, and it has brought the conversation about removing the Queen as head of state to the fore.
William has said he wants to break tradition, will take a 'reactionary and agile' approach and would ditch the 'never complain, never explain' policy adopted by previous monarchs, according to the Daily Mail.
An insider told the publication: 'He definitely won't be speaking out regularly but believes if the monarchy has something to say, then it should say it.
'He's not being critical of the Queen, far from it. He admires her absolutely and has learnt so much from her. But he is looking ahead to how things will be in 40 years' time. He wants the monarchy to continue to be a unifying force, to bridge the gap.'
After the tour, William issued a statement before boarding a plane back to the UK saying the visit 'had brought into even sharper focus questions about the past and future', although it is believed that this was not discussed with the Queen and Prince Charles in advance.
He said: 'In Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas, that future is for the people to decide upon. Catherine and I are committed to service. It's not about telling people what to do. Who the Commonwealth chooses to lead its family in the future isn't what is on my mind.
'What matters to us is the potential the Commonwealth family has to create a better future for the people who form it, and our commitment to serve and support as best we can.'
A former palace public relations source said: 'There’s a feeling in the institution that over time the monarchy can update itself and change, but it has to be gradual, subtle and carefully thought through.'
