Prince William's former private secretary has revealed a crucial difference the public will see when the heir to the throne succeeds his father as monarch, predicting a more accessible and relaxed style of kingship.
Lord Case's Verdict on William's Future Reign
Lord Case, who worked for the then-Duke of Cambridge before serving as Cabinet Secretary under four prime ministers, told The Telegraph: "What will definitely be true, I think as people will already see as they've been as the Cambridges and now the Waleses, and I would expect this to continue as King and Queen, is there will be times when they're much more accessible and relaxed in public settings than probably his father, and certainly his grandmother, would ever have been."
Case, who also served as Principal Private Secretary to both David Cameron and Theresa May, and as Director General for Northern Ireland and Ireland and for the UK-EU relationship, said the public will continue to see a "good chunk of sort of dressed down monarchy."
A More Informal Royal Approach
"That doesn't mean that important ceremony will be completely abandoned," Case added. "But I think that, as people, but if you also just think for a moment of them as professionals, it's difficult to define precisely what their profession is, but as professionals, I think they have seen what works for them, which is interacting with other human beings in a much less formal setting."
The Prince of Wales will take over from the King upon his death, with his own son, Prince George, succeeding him. On July 1, William and Charles appeared together at the Order of the Thistle ceremony in Edinburgh, dressed in plush green velvet robes and black velvet hats with white ostrich plumes, watched by the King's Body Guard for Scotland.
Contrast with Previous Monarchs
Case's comments highlight a generational shift in the monarchy, contrasting William's anticipated approach with the more formal styles of Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III. The former aide's insights come from his unique perspective having worked closely with the royal family and senior government officials.
