William the Quiet Disruptor - Future of the Monarchy

[PrettyFlyforaMaiTai]

I just read this Sky News article “My Week with Prince William: The Quiet Disruptor” and found it really interesting.

The article paints a picture of someone who’s trying to do things differently, more of a “quiet disruptor” than a traditional royal. He seems to want to modernise the monarchy, focusing less on ribbon-cutting and more on community projects and real social impact. It might not be flashy, but it feels more in touch with what people care about today. He wants to be seen as a trustworthy global leader who uses his influence for good in a time when there is a lot of distrust in leadership worldwide.

It talks about how, although some still label him “work-shy” because he schedules his engagements around his children, most of the people interviewed actually saw that as a positive. They praised him for putting his family first and being a present dad.

It acknowledges that not everyone will be happy with this new version of monarchy, and some people will criticise the change in ethos.

I suppose time will tell whether this new approach will change anything long term. Charles also said he wanted to modernise, so let’s see it sticks this time. But it’s an interesting read if you’re curious about how William’s trying to shape his role.

William the Quiet Disruptor

No comment on the rest of my post then... thought not, that's predictable and fun in a weird way to me!

If the RNLI were renting land from another landlord, they would have to pay for it. I am no expert, but as well as the fact that it is the law that they have to pay rent, would not any refund of their rent affect their charitable status? Just because you seem to be personally offended and keep banging on about it doesn’t mean the RNLI see it as a problem. Have you asked them?

typo

The Guardian had an interesting article a few weeks ago. Apparently shopkeepers in Devon were paying 100 pounds a year rent to the D of C, but complained that their buildings weren't being kept up.

Reading between the lines, it sounds as though William has to spend a bundle modernizing the buildings but will probably have to raise the rents. He obviously inherited the situation from Charles.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/apr/12/a-dartmoor-village-is-paying-prince-william-15m-a-year-for-an-abandoned-prison-and-former-inmates-say-it-gave-them-cancer

This, too. Under the new regime, it looks like lots of overdue reforms have to take place.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/dec/21/prince-william-to-end-feudal-restrictions-on-land-ownership-on-cornish-estate

This is all a bit of a distraction. Resolved: William is not a disruptor of any sort as even his supporters declare he is, like his father, a relatively helpless figurehead, a mere facade of the constitutional monarchy, who fears being compared to some popularity hunting celebrity so does his good deeds off the court circular and secretively—sort of like The Batman if he had also been the lost heir of Ruritania.

Nether offended not banging on. Hey ho.
Incidentally, the reason I mention the RNLI in particular is that the land they rent from the Crown is the seabed. Yep-the seabed for(I think) 6 miles from the waterline is owned by the Crown. All of it. Which is a pretty shocking thing to contemplate. Not quite as bad as owning all the air up to 6 feet from the ground, but still pretty extraordinary.

PS if that was the case, they could charge practically everyone except Richard Osman rent for every breath they take! Not saying they would, of course. But never say never, huh?🤣

Why is it strange that the Crown (so not the Royal Family) owns the seabed? Don’t you think this is why fishing rights exist, including the right to dredge the sea bed (or be prevented from doing so) And you do know that the air is also owned in some places, like New York? So developers can buy “air rights” to build tall buildings

An interesting article for all those who think this is fair

https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/world/monarchy/62141/how-the-monarchy-cashes-in-on-our-seabed

@smilesyI do get the feeling that you would support the Divine Right of Kings given the chance-so I’m going shopping. 😘

I think it’s far fairer than this (common) situation, for example BustingBaoBun.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/08/sea-sand-and-sky-high-fees-italians-tussle-over-their-right-to-lie-on-the-beach

There’s a long running dispute in New Zealand over who owns the radio wave spectrum - the Crown or the indigenous population. Having issues like these settled in the UK makes for certainty and stability.

e-tangata.co.nz/media/what-is-spectrum-and-why-should-maori-care/

No. I just think it’s annoying when people ignore facts ir make stuff up 😊

That's Italy for you! I can't see us lying on the beach in our droves. 🤣
Our way is all fine and dandy but somewhere along the line the royal family are enriching themselves and reading that article I posted, it also appears Wales got the short straw.

Telegraph article about William and the Duchy of Cornwall

https://archive.ph/qRb7Z

Interesting. And timely, given this discussion!

The Prince tries to visit part of the Duchy once every four to six weeks, working his way through its farms and offices to meet families and staff, shake hands and quiz them on what he can do to help. His visits are usually private, rarely making the Court Circular and kept quiet by loyal locals who are used to royal comings and goings.

Later

It is surprising, even to a royal editor, to learn how much William manages to do without the wider world noticing. He films and sends regular video messages for Duchy-related events – a river conservation meeting this month, a charity boxing night. When a tenant suggested he might be interested in the agricultural festival Groundswell, he duly popped up there.

Also:

Asked what the Duchy can do to help their day-to-day lives as tenants, patriarch Gerald Addicott – who is now retired but met the then Prince Charles several times during his own tenancy – teases the Prince that he could make it “rent-free”.
“You’re not the first person to say that,” laughs William, adding – apparently semi-seriously – that he questioned whether he could do just that when he took over, and “got a lot of sweaty faces” responsible for balancing the books looking back at him.

It also talks about William personally investing in homelessness projects in the Duchy. And mention:

It has not always been smooth sailing. At the end of last year, after this day out was first agreed, the Duchy of Cornwall and the Duchy of Lancaster (now the King’s estate) were made the focus of a <a class="break-all" href="https://archive.ph/o/qRb7Z/www.telegraph.co.uk/channel-4/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Channel 4 Dispatches documentary: The King, The Prince & Their Secret Millions.…Within the Duchy of Cornwall team, though, there is a willingness to confront it head on. Bax points out some technicalities: the financial status of the Duchy is enshrined in an Act of Parliament; it is obliged to let property at a full and fair annual rent; there are legal safeguards including that the Duke is not about to sell off the capital assets”.

So yeah, pretty much everything we’ve been saying on this thread confirmed in the article.

So he should! He gets £26million a year from his Duchy. He needs to do it.

Interesting thank you @Serenster
Confirmed what we all thought - there’s a lot more going on than we know about.

Well, I’m glad people thinks that constitutes a busy and productive life for a fit active 40 year okd!

It shows Prince William does a lot more than what is published in the court circular, but nothing's going to change your view that he's lazy, even increasing evidence that a lot more goes on than you want to believe.

And nothing’s going to change your view that he is out there ceaselessly toiling for the public good! I do believe there is a little more evidence for my view than yours. But I would say that, wouldn’t I?🤣

But there's increasing evidence your view is incorrect. And why anyone thinks the only work he does is what's in the press/on the court circular is beyond me.

That article says he TRIES TO visit Cornwall every 4-6 weeks (doesn't say he actually does, he just tries). And if he goes, he shakes hands and does a bit of schmoozing.
Then he sends them video messages about relevant stuff?

How on earth is this taxing, I don't get it. If the article said he spends two days every single week in Cornwall managing the Duchy, I might get it, easy to get there by helicopter of course. He appointed a lot of new staff to manage it all, so he is just doing PR to show he's around in order to get his big payout!

He could be Zooming his staff daily for meetings and doing in- person visits every month. I almost never attend an in-person meeting.

I don’t think that.

Catching up and starting here:

Yes, both Charles and William use it to find things like school fees, clothing and private costs. Therefore reducing the amount needed from the Sovereign Grant, which now mostly pays for maintenance to state building associated with the RF and travel and business costs.

SG derives from Crown Estate profits. Nothing to do with the private income from the duchies. It funds official duties not private expenses and the golden ratchet clause means it can never fall below any previous highest levelwhich in turn means we're now in a situation where the grant remains the same despite funding a decreased number of 'working' royals.

Nothing about this situation saves us any money.