The Duke of Cambridge reportedly plans to use only half the staff his father the Prince of Wales has, and wants to end the longstanding royal tradition of “never complain, never explain”.
Prince William is said to have met with aides following backlash from his and the Duchess of Cambridge’s recent Caribbean tour.
William and his wife, Kate Middleton, flew home to London Sunday, ending their trip to Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas. Before they left, the future king acknowledged the monarchy’s days in those nations may be numbered as he stated the future “is for the people to decide upon”.
In an unusual statement reflecting on the tour, William also emphasised who the Commonwealth chose to be its leader “isn’t what is on my mind”. Rather, what concerned him was its potential to “create a better future for the people who form it”.
The prince stressed that he and his wife were “committed to service” and saw their role as supporting people, “not telling them what to do”.
On Monday, some British media reported comments from sources suggesting William had been doing plenty of thinking about how long-held protocols could be modernised when he ascended the throne.
Changes could include halving staff when he became the Prince of Wales – the title is likely to be passed down when his father becomes king – and ending the policy of “never complain, never explain”, the newspapers reported.
William’s statement might be interpreted as a response to days of criticism the couple faced during their eight-day tour, from accusations Belize locals were not consulted about a royal engagement to calls for slavery reparations in Jamaica.
The couple were also accused of being “tone deaf” after they were seen shaking hands with crowds behind a wire mesh fence in Kingston. Elsewhere, images of the pair riding in the back of a Land Rover were denounced as harking back to colonial days.
Media coverage of the tour has been split. Some has emphasised the positive impact of the Cambridges’ presence in the Caribbean, while others described the fence photograph as a “PR disaster”.
Barbados replaced the Queen as head of state in November, and elected its first president during a ceremony witnessed by the Prince of Wales.
-with AAP
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