Prince William says he’d like to approach royal duties with a “smaller r,” aiming to inject more empathy, and toning down pomp and circumstance with more personable projects.
“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 heir to the British throne told reporters as he wrapped up a four-day trip to South Africa to bestow the Earthshot Prize environmental innovation awards, which he founded.
“And to give you more an understanding around it, I’m doing it with maybe a smaller r in the royal, if you like, that’s maybe a better way of saying it.”
In this photo supplied by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS), Britain’s Prince William, left, shakes hands with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Cape Town, South Africa, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Kopano Tlape/GCIS via AP) Kopano Tlape/GCIS via AP
The prince had illustrated his intentions throughout the trip, balancing formal duties like meeting with South African president Cyril Ramaphosa with informal events that he attended in casual dress, The Independent reported.
His passion projects include studying solutions to homelessness and championing environmental causes, with an eye toward securing the future, signaling a more modern view of the monarchy, BBC News noted.
“It’s more about impact philanthropy, collaboration, convening, and helping people,” he said, according to BBC News, speaking just after Donald Trump re-won the U.S. presidency. “And I’m also going to throw empathy in there as well, because I really care about what I do. It helps impacts people’s lives. And I think we could do with some more empathetic leadership around the world.”
Britain’s Prince William plays rugby with pupils at the Ocean View Secondary School in Cape Town, South Africa, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) AP Photo/Jerome Delay
The prince’s statements also reflected the openness he exhibited in describing the “brutal” year 2024, during which he supported both his father King Charles and wife Kate Middleton as they navigated cancer diagnoses and treatment.
“Honestly, it’s been dreadful,” he said. “It’s probably been the hardest year in my life.”