The major winners and fading figures of the future King William V reign revealed by those closest to him
In a wide-ranging interview with The Times UK, friends of the Prince of Wales say he has long been laying the groundwork for a leaner, more modern version of The Firm.
While the importance of royal "magic and pageantry" is not lost on him, sources say William knows the famous Buckingham Palace balcony will soon look very different, with most of the current working royals over the age of 70 and likely to scale back their roles in the coming years. The winners
Among those tipped to play a much greater role in William's reign are the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
William and Catherine are understood to be strong supporters of Prince Edward, 61, and Duchess Sophie, 60, and sources say the couple is already raising their profile.
Just last week, Sophie and Catherine were spotted sharing a laugh at the Garter Day procession in Windsor, and earlier this month, William and Sophie were spotted enjoying a visit to the Royal Cornwall Show.
A friend of William's said that the Duke and Duchess are "needed" and that "it's really important the fantastic work that they do is seen."
Also expected to take on a more visible role are Zara and Mike Tindall, Zara's brother Peter Phillips, and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
While none are currently working royals, all make regular appearances at events hosted by both King Charles III and Prince William.
Zara, a former Olympic equestrian like her mother, Princess Anne, is even being floated as a potential torchbearer for royal racing duties- a role neither William nor Catherine seem particularly interested in.
"He's never really seemed comfortable doing it," a racing insider said of William's approach to horse racing.
"I never get the feeling the whole top hat and racing is really his thing, and he's said as much." The losers
Unfortunately, it seems Prince Harry won't be returning to the royal inner circle anytime soon.
Since stepping away from royal duties in 2020 and moving to California with his wife, Meghan Markle, Harry's relationship with his brother has deteriorated, with the pair not seen together since the late Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in 2022.
One friend said that while William once "raged" about Harry's public outbursts and his explosive 2023 memoir Spare, he no longer brings it up.
"It used to be that the family stuff was taking up a lot of space in his head… But he's not letting it get to him at all any more. It is a change. It's sad, but it's a much healthier space for him to be at," they said.
As for Prince Andrew, who was stripped of his royal titles by the late Queen over ties to convicted sex offenders Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, and more recently linked to alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo, the future King reportedly views him as a reputational "risk" and "threat" to the monarchy. Family first
Despite the reshuffling of royal ranks, friends say William's focus remains on his immediate family: wife Catherine, 43, and their three children, George, 11, Charlotte, 10, and Louis, seven.
"He's always been fiercely protective of them and will be fiercely protective of them in the future," one friend said.
William scaled back his public duties last year to support Catherine through her battle with an undisclosed form of cancer, describing 2024 as "brutal" and "the hardest in my life".
Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, former private secretary to William, Catherine and Harry. and also Prince George's godfather, said William has "always been clear about how important his family is".
Of the challenges William has faced this year, Lowther-Pinkerton added: "I think it has demonstrated William's character and his courage."
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