Prince William’s 'major shift in royal tactics that late Queen would have loved'
With his dashing beard, relaxed open-neck shirts and crisp white trainers, the Prince of Wales is the epitome of a thoroughly modern royal.
And while he has always worked hard to carve his own path by supporting a handful of causes which are deeply important to him, rather than hundreds of different charities, it is clear that the Prince has truly come into his own recently.
This approach also extends into the touch of informality he brings to his public appearances, whether it is answering the phone in a restaurant, shocking punters by serving burgers in a van or buying a round of drinks at a Wetherspoons pub for a group of Aston Villa supporters.
It's a tactic which continues to see Prince William ranked as one of the most popular - and relatable - members of the Royal Family and something which former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond believes is the key to his ongoing success.
"For a while now, William has been putting into action the way that he intends to do the job," Jennie told OK!. "And that, as he now made clear, is royal with a small r. You could say that the small ‘r’ also stands for relatable, because that is what he is showing himself to be.
"I think he gets quite a kick out of surprising people – by taking calls in a restaurant, serving people from burger stalls or dropping into a pub to buy a round of drinks. I think William finds it refreshing to be able to interact without all the fuss that generally goes with a royal visit. And I’m sure he also realises that in PR terms, it is extremely effective."
Jennie's comments come after William made a surprise visit to a Wetherspoons pub in Birmingham following a visit to meet first-responders after he was unveiled as Patron of the College of Paramedics.
After thanking the medics for their "best wishes" following the Princess of Wales revealing that she was in remission from cancer, Wills, 42, joked that he would pop into the popular pub chain nearby to see if there were any fellow Aston Villa fans.
Punters were then left shocked when the heir walked into the The London and North Western pub in Birmingham New Street station before saying hello and sitting at a table of locals. He had arranged a meet-up with the Villa regulars and bought them a round of beers.
The Prince's approach is refreshing, but Jennie draws comparisons between his way of thinking and that of the late Queen Elizabeth II's. On the subject of moving with the times, the expert told us: "It’s important for the Royal Family to be in touch as much as possible with the way ordinary people feel and, as the late queen once remarked, deference can obscure the truth. In her golden wedding speech she compared the way governments and the monarchy have to judge public opinion.
"She said: 'That consent, (of the people) or the lack of it, is expressed for you, Prime Minister, through the ballot box. It is a tough, even brutal, system but at least the message is a clear one for all to read. For us, a Royal Family, however, the message is often harder to read, obscured as it can be by deference, rhetoric or the conflicting currents of public opinion. But read it we must.'"
Jennie added: "I think by deliberately cutting down on the need for deference, William is finding a clearer path to understanding public opinion. And I think his late grandmother would very much approve."
In a candid admission last year, Prince William spelled out his future approach to royal duties, describing his plans as having a “smaller r in the royal”.
The future king said what mattered to him was “impact philanthropy, collaboration, convening, and helping people” and stressed “empathy” was also important “because I really care about what I do”. He said he hoped to carry out overseas tours with the Princess of Wales, who this autumn returned to royal duties after completing a course of cancer treatment.
Asked about a modern approach to the monarchy he appeared to be adopting, William replied: “It’s hard to describe what that is all about, but I can only describe what I’m trying to do, and that’s I’m trying to do it differently and I’m trying to do it for my generation."
The projects he is pursuing, attempting to find solutions to homelessness and major environmental issues, are contemporary issues growing in prominence that are likely to resonate with a younger generation.
William explained his aims: “So it’s more about impact philanthropy, collaboration, convening, and helping people. And I’m also going to throw empathy in there as well, because I really care about what I do. It helps impact people’s lives. And I think we could do with some more empathetic leadership around the world. So that’s what I’m trying to bring, that’s what Catherine is trying to bring as well.”
