Prince William reportedly took over one major family role from Prince Philip

The royal family is the most talked-about in the world, with the Mountbatten-Windsors never failing to make headline news.

It is the Prince and Princess of Wales who are truly front and centre, and following their grand return to public life, the couple has been credited as "the pillars on which the future of the monarch rests.”

This is particularly true of Prince William, with the heir to the throne forced to step up over the past six months, following the news that King Charles and Princess Kate had both been diagnosed with undisclosed forms of cancer. And with a slimmed-down monarchy in place, Prince William was forced to carry the weight.

Now that King Charles has returned to duty and Princess Kate has made her public return, William's load has been lifted slightly, but from his charitable causes to his upcoming documentary, Prince William's job is every bit as prominent.

It was Prince William's role within the Mountbatten-Windsor family that made the most news this week however, with the 42-year-old reported to be playing an important role behind closed doors.

According to royal sources, "there is a sense that William has stepped into the Prince Philip role", taking on the position of "disciplinarian" after his grandfather's 2021 death.

"Philip ruled the family with a rod of iron, and you saw when he died, that discipline collapsed," a royal insider explained to The Daily Beast. "Now, William is calling the shots when it comes to family discipline."

Royal experts went on to reference two ongoing situations - the royal family's relationship with Prince Harry, and the moving of Prince Andrew from Royal Lodge - two issues that Prince William has reportedly played the disciplinarian in.

His stance, according to the sources, "tells you everything you need to know about who is really in charge."

We will continue to update this story.