Kate and Wills take charge.
WITH HARRY AND MEGHAN OFFICIALLY OUT, EXPECTATION IS MOUNTING ON THE ROYAL COUPLE
Heavy is the head that wears the crown – and future leaders Prince William and Duchess Catherine are said to be feeling the burden of royal responsibility.
Following the recent shock decision that saw Harry and Meghan opting to step back as royals for a life of freedom in Canada, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge now appear to have the weight of the world on their shoulders.
Royals expert Phil Dampier remarks that the parents of three will be expected to take on more royal responsibility than ever before.
“There’s now a lot of burden on them,” remarks Phil.
“With the Queen nearly 94, Anne is 70 this year and Charles and Camilla also in their 70s, there’s so much now resting on them.”
This increased level of responsibility appeared to commence immediately, with Prince William, 37, and Duchess Kate, 38, hosting the Uk-africa Investment Summit at Buckingham Palace just days after the details of Harry and Meghan’s departure were finalised. William and Kate appeared to take the challenge in their stride as they smiled and met dignitaries while acting as representatives for Queen Elizabeth II at the state occasion.
The decision to host the summit in January when the Queen is still on holiday was seen as a deliberate move on the part of the royal family meant to increase Wills’ presence as a future king.
“William was always a reluctant king in waiting, but now he seems to accept his fate and he and Kate are taking on more and more duties while bringing up three young children as normally as possible,” says Phil.
“It’s a difficult balancing act but they are doing a great job and people can see it.”
In his address at the formal event, William came close to acknowledging the elephant in the room – that is, Harry’s recent resignation as a royal.
While speaking of the
importance of the African continent, William said: “It is the place my father took my brother and me shortly after our mother died.”
Earlier that week, Harry had attended a private reception for his charity Sentebale, where he offered up an explanation for the recent turn of events.
“I can only imagine what you may have heard or perhaps read over the last few weeks …” Harry began, adding he wanted people to now hear “the truth”.
“[I]t brings me great sadness that it has come to this,” Harry added later in the speech.
“But I hope that helps you understand what it had come to, that I would step my family back from all I have ever known, to take a step forward into what I hope can be a more peaceful life,” Harry concluded.
Phil believes Harry’s surprising remarks would be rubbing salt into the already wounded royal family.
“The Queen was very gracious and warm to Harry and Meghan in her statement, so I would think she’d be disappointed by Harry talking like this,” Phil commented.
Prince William is also said to be upset over Harry’s decision.
“He has not only lost the close friendship of a brother but also someone who was going to share the workload in the coming decades,” says Phil.
“He must feel very sad about Harry although he would not admit it publicly.”
What’s more, Will and Kate were already thought to be succumbing to increased amounts of pressure following the Prince Andrew PR disaster.
With Andrew sidelined and Meghan and Harry now out the couple have been lumped with more duties than ever before.