Prince William Will Have a 'Modern' Coronation: 'The Prince and Princess Are Keen to Do Things in Their Way'
The Prince of Wales has been thinking about last week's coronation of his father King Charles and looking to the future, according to a report
Prince William is reflecting on the coronation of his father, King Charles — and looking ahead.
The Prince of Wales, who paid a key role at the historic coronation on May 6 and gave a tribute to his "Pa" at a star-studded Coronation Concert the following day, will do things differently when his time comes, aides confirm.
Although cognizant that any change of reign is a long way off, royal sources confirm to PEOPLE that his crowning ceremony will reflect an ongoing mission by Prince William, 40, to be "relevant" and modern.
Prince William, who knelt before his father and vowed to serve him during the ceremony at Westminster Abbey, is likely to leave out a "homage of the people," which was one of the main elements of King Charles' service. It caused some controversy in the run-up to the celebration, as it invited people inside and outside the Abbey to pay respect to the King and his "heirs and successors."
A source close to Prince William was quoted in The Sunday Times, which first reported the story on Sunday, saying that the royal heir "is really thinking, how do we make this coronation feel more relevant in the future? He is mindful of the fact that in 20 years' time, or whenever his time comes, how can the coronation be modern but also unifying to the nation and the Commonwealth?"
"I think his coronation will look and feel quite different," the source continued.
Related:King Charles Poses with Heirs Prince William and Prince George in New Coronation Portrait
That is in keeping with his thinking and actions. Prince William is said by those close to him to constantly looking at modernizing monarchy and increasing its relevance to this century. A spokesman tells PEOPLE, "The Prince and Princess are keen to do things in their own way."
Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, 41, have wanted to set themselves apart in their royal roles throughout their public life: They adopt fewer but meaningful causes that they can champion over a long period, and in their new roles as Prince and Princess of Wales, that is becoming ever more apparent. For example, William won't be having an investiture as Prince of Wales — unlike his father who was "crowned" by his mother, Queen Elizabeth, at Caernarfon Castle.
The couple also utilizes what they call "community impact days," which sees them heading to a town or city in Britain and championing a local social enterprise or charity.
Later in the year, there will be more action on one of his key central aims, tackling the effects of homelessness and how to help people find their feet after losing their homes.
Prince William's groundbreaking Earthshot Prize, which rewards new ideas to help counter the planet's environmental problems, is also evolving. It has just been announced that the third awards ceremony will be held in Singapore in November — and for the first time, the show will include a week of events to promote this year's prize winners and celebrate the legacy of those who have been honored in the first two years.
During their trip to Singapore, they will endeavor to shine a light on the recent finalists who have had a huge impact. Using what royal aides call the accelerator element of the Earthshot, business leaders and investors will be convened at the event to help scale the solutions and support them further, encouraging the "optimism" that is Prince William's key motivator for the awards.
All this will showcase Prince William's approach "to modern royalty," a royal source adds.
The prince created the contest in 2020 with plans to award Earthshot Prizes until 2030. The inaugural awards ceremony was held in London in October 2021, and the second awards show was held in Boston in December 2022.
Related:Prince William's Uniform Has a Subtle But Deeply Meaningful Change: Can You Spot It?
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Over the weekend, Buckingham Palace released two additional portraits from the coronation — with one of them underlining the immediate line of succession. In it, the newly crowned King Charles is pictured flanked by the next two people in line to the throne, his son Prince William and his grandson Prince George, 9.
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