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Thirty-two years after Diana, Princess of Wales, took her young son William to a homeless shelter to learn about having empathy for those who don’t have a home, he took his own son there.
But as Prince William and Prince George helped make lunch at The Passage in London the other day, William was doing more than introducing his 12-year-old son to one of his main philanthropic pursuits.
He was continuing George’s cautious but deliberate introduction to the public side of his life ahead, while also offering a reminder of the influence Diana had on his own upbringing.
“We’re seeing a great deal of emphasis on continuity, as Prince William had previously visited The Passage with Diana, Princess of Wales, and had volunteered there as a child,” Toronto-based royal author and historian Carolyn Harris said in an interview.
She said that along with the family tradition of public outreach, that visit just before Christmas also offered a reminder of Diana’s influence over William.
His younger brother, Prince Harry, “has spoken so often about Diana’s influence on him that sometimes in the popular imagination, William becomes very associated with [their father] King Charles, because he is the future King and Harry, who is going his own way, has become associated with Diana,” said Harris.
“But this is a subtle reminder that Diana had a profound influence on William as well and his approach to public service.”
Over the past several months, Prince George has been making more appearances that seem to be part of a gradual introduction to the official side of the royal life ahead of him.
He spoke with veterans at a luncheon at Buckingham Palace in May to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe, and was on hand with his mother, Catherine, Princess of Wales, at the Festival of Remembrance in November. (William was not there, and was reportedly making his way home from the COP climate conference in Brazil.)
“We’re seeing that [George is] developing confidence speaking with people from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences,” Harris said.
The visit to The Passage was part of what might be considered George’s apprenticeship, Craig Prescott, a constitutional expert and lecturer in law at Royal Holloway, University of London, said in an interview.
“The image of monarchy is one of stability and continuity,” said Prescott.
“He is the heir to the throne after William and will one day presumably be Prince of Wales and it’s preparing him … giving him a sample of doing public duties. Inevitably, he’s of an age where he is perhaps more interested. It’s … learning what his dad is doing.”
William and Catherine have been very focused on emphasizing family life and privacy for their three children, and there is the sense that any gradual introduction of the public side of royal life is being done with those priorities in mind.
“William and Catherine have always been very protective of their children’s privacy, but that’s clearly being balanced with their children being comfortable in the public eye, especially Prince George, because of the role that he will be undertaking in the future,” said Harris.
“We’re also seeing Prince George entering the public eye as part of his family circle.”
At regular events on the royal calendar — for example, Trooping the Colour, the parade that marks the monarch’s official birthday each June and includes a family appearance on the balcony at Buckingham Palace — George is right there beside his sister, Princess Charlotte, and their younger brother, Prince Louis.
Some public attention — and media speculation — is also focused on another upcoming milestone for George: where will he go to secondary school come September?
Might it be Eton College, where William went, or maybe Marlborough College, which Catherine attended? Will he board or might he be a day student?
“It really remains to be seen if his secondary school experience is going to be closer to what William experienced or closer to what [Catherine] experienced?” said Harris. “And that will shape his social circle going forward.”
Why Queen Camilla wants to stand on her ‘tiny soapbox’
As Queen Camilla spoke publicly for the first time the other day about her experience being assaulted by a man on a train as a teenager, she also gave a nod to her position and how she hopes to help those who are victims of violence against women.
“I was reading my book, and you know, this boy, man, attacked me, and I did fight back,’’ Camilla told the BBC. “And I remember getting off the train and my mother looking at me and saying, ‘Why is your hair standing on end?’ and ‘Why is a button missing from your coat?’”
The comments came in a group interview with the surviving family members of two sisters and their mother who were killed by their mother’s ex-partner at their home outside London in July 2024.
Camilla said she decided to speak up because domestic violence has been a “taboo subject” for so long that most people don’t realize how bad the situation is.
“I thought, well, if I’ve got a tiny soapbox to stand on, I’d like to stand on it,” she said. “And there’s not a lot I can do except talk to people and get people together.”
That effort to try to get people together is one of the ways Camilla has been establishing herself in the role of Queen consort to her husband, King Charles.
Camilla’s decision to talk publicly about her assault shows “a perfect understanding of the role of a senior royal today, which is to use the convening power to draw attention to something, but in a way that is two or three steps removed from politics,” said Prescott.
“There’s been questions about making misogyny a hate crime … under U.K. law, which is controversial perhaps to use criminal law in that way. And [Camilla] doesn’t step into that territory — she steps into broader territory about the issue more generally. In that sense, it attracts attention to charities and to people who do work in this area.”
Camilla has always placed a strong emphasis on community-building, Harris said, whether it’s women coming together to support one another through difficult times or encouraging people to form book clubs.
Camilla is also in her own way defining her role as Queen consort — a position last associated with the reign of King George VI and his wife, Queen Elizabeth, from 1936 until his death in 1952.
“This is, in a sense, a new territory,” said Prescott.
“And it’s about being a Queen consort in the modern monarchy. And I would say it is doing exactly what [Camilla is] doing, which is to use her position, which has an elevated status because she’s Queen, to draw attention to the specific issues that she’s identified.”
— With files from The Associated Press
A royal lookahead for 2026
There aren’t any major events such as jubilees or weddings of senior members of the Royal Family on the calendar for 2026, but certain issues and controversies lingering from last year will likely remain in focus.
It could, said Prescott, be a “relatively normal year” for the royals.
“We might look back at this year as being like a typical year in the reign of Charles III — and there’s not been many of those yet.”
Here are some things to watch for in the year ahead:
King Charles and his travels
Just before Christmas, Charles said his cancer treatment is being reduced.
“That implies that he’s going to be able to take on more overseas travel for longer periods of time,” said Harris.
WATCH | King’s cancer treatment to be reduced:
King Charles said on Friday that his doctors can reduce his treatment for cancer in the new year ‘thanks to early diagnosis.’ Charles was diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer in February 2024 and made the latest announcement in a televised broadcast as part of a national cancer awareness campaign in Britain.
Might that include travel to the United States, as it marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence? What about a trip to Canada, which would be his second as monarch, after the brief visit last May to read the speech from the throne in Ottawa?
“There has been a lot of discussion about a high-profile visit to the United States. And of course that is going to depend on where relations are between the United Kingdom and the United States, and the international situation is quite unpredictable,” said Harris.
“In the past, when there is a royal visit to the United States, it generally follows a royal visit to Canada and that will introduce new aspects to a royal tour to the United States.”
The controversies surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor
Charles’s younger brother Andrew has been stripped of his title of prince, but controversy is likely to continue in the fallout from his friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“More scandals will continue to unfold [as] more and more of the Epstein files are being released, and this is highly incriminating to … Andrew. The question that is going to arise will be will he continue to live in Britain” or move abroad, said Harris.
At this point, he continues to live in Royal Lodge near Windsor Castle, but he is being evicted and is to move to a property on King Charles’s Sandringham estate northeast of London.
WATCH | Andrew stripped of title of prince:
King Charles has stripped his brother, Andrew, of his royal title following years of controversy about his ties with the late sex offender Jeffery Epstein. Buckingham Palace said Andrew’s titles, honours and lease on his home, the Royal Lodge, would be surrendered.
Prince Harry and questions of reconciliation
There’s likely to be continued attention on the estrangement between Prince Harry and senior members of the Royal Family.
“I think that there’s going to be a lot of scrutiny of whether he’s able to achieve a personal reconciliation” with his father, King Charles, said Harris.
“He’s clearly not going to be returning to being a senior member of the Royal Family. Harry and Meghan and their children have their own life in California.
“But whether a reconciliation on a personal level can be achieved, there’s going to be a lot of interest in that, particularly between father and son. Between William and Harry, a reconciliation is going to be much harder to achieve.”
A new Canadian patronage for Princess Anne
Dale Gann was doing the best he could to pass awards to Princess Anne so she could give them to young sailors during her visit to Victoria in 2024.
But the commodore of the Royal Victoria Yacht Club was struggling a bit to keep the awards and the ribbons they were suspended on well-organized.
“At times I was fumbling and had them tangled up and she looked over at me and says, ‘Do you need a hand with that?’” Gann recalled in an interview this week, after the club announced Anne as its new royal patron.
“She just is a very gracious, really beautiful person. And it was a real honour to watch her interact with the youth and how the youth looked up to her. It was a very, very memorable and important moment for our club and for the youth and myself.”
Gann worked with the club’s staff and board of directors a couple of months ago to draft a letter that was sent to Buckingham Palace asking if Anne would consider the role as royal patron.
“Happily, we were deeply honoured … that she graciously accepted the role as royal patron for our club.”
Gann, who is now immediate past commodore of the club, said that reflecting on Anne’s 2024 visit made it clear she was an ideal individual to be asked to take on the patronage.
“Her longstanding dedication to marine organizations, the Royal Yachting Association, her own involvement in the Olympic and youth movements, her passion and connection with the Sea Cadets, the fact that she and her [husband, Tim Laurence] themselves are still active sailors and own their own sloop and actively cruise — there were so many touchpoints that resonated with the objectives of our club.”
Gann has been thinking about how the club can stay connected with its new royal patron.
“We have youth competing in Commonwealth sailing events. We have youth competing in national and international events,” he said.
“I think there’s a lot of opportunity for us to be in contact with the princess and share those activities and hopefully it will result in connection with her and communication about those individuals and those collective achievements.”
The patronage “definitely helps us establish the relationship in order to work with her office towards a future visit,” Gann said.
WATCH | An exclusive interview with Princess Anne:
Princess Anne invites CBC Chief Correspondent Adrienne Arsenault into her sitting room and opens up about her brother’s coronation, the monarchy’s future, and her lifetime of service.
The club severed ties with its former royal patron, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, in 2019 when the now former prince stepped aside from public duties in the wake of his disastrous BBC interview about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.
Anne has other Canadian patronages, including the Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association and the Royal Canadian Yacht Club in Toronto. She also serves as colonel in chief for several Canadian regiments.
Royally quotable
“I know.”
— Catherine, Princess of Wales, replying to a hospital volunteer who works with people going through chemotherapy. Almost a year ago, Catherine announced she was in remission from cancer. During a visit to a London hospital on Thursday, the volunteer spoke to Catherine and Prince William about her role. Referring to patients and visitors, the volunteer told the couple, “people will sit there for hours,” prompting Catharine to respond. Catherine also touched William’s shoulder and said, “You know,” the BBC reported.
Royal reads
The Princess of Wales has said she is “deeply grateful,” and that nature has helped her “heal,” as she celebrates her 44th birthday on Friday. [ITV]
Prince Harry is not expected to meet his father, King Charles, on his next trip to the U.K., when he goes to give evidence in a court case against the publisher of the Daily Mail. [BBC]
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor received millions of pounds from an oligarch using funds from a firm implicated in criminal corruption, a BBC investigation has found. And a man identified as “A” who appears to be Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor discussed facilitating meetings with “inappropriate friends” with Jeffrey Epstein’s accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. [BBC, The Guardian]
More than 600 homes and a primary school have been approved on one of Prince William’s estates. [BBC]
A new exhibition showcasing items from the 10 decades of Queen Elizabeth’s life and marking 2026’s centenary of her birth throws light on how Britain changed during her reign. [BBC]
