Prince William 'already planning his Coronation' and wants to avoid major mishap made by King Charles

Prince William

Prince William is thought to be already looking at changes his Coronation should include

PA
Dan Falvey

By Dan Falvey


Published: 14/05/2023

- 09:53

Updated: 14/05/2023

- 11:36

William is said to be eager at his Coronation to ditch the 'homage of the people' that caused controversy for his dad

Prince William is already thinking about his Coronation and how he wants to make big changes to the ceremony that saw his father crowned.

The Prince of Wales is thought to be eager to make adjustments to the centuries old service to modernise it and make it more relevant for 21st century Britain.


Both King Charles and the late Queen Elizabeth II made alterations to their own Coronations in a bid to make sure it was reflective of society.

In 1953, the Queen agreed to let TV cameras film the ceremony for the first time, and earlier this month the King's service was drastically stripped back to make it shorter and included representatives from an array of religions.

King Charles at the Coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey on Saturday

King Charles's Coronation included an invitation for the public to swear allegiance to the monarch

PA

William is said to be eager at his Coronation to ditch the "homage of the people" that caused controversy for his dad.

There was criticism after the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby invited those in Westminster Abbey and those watching the service at home to swear their allegiance to the King.

A source close to William told the Sunday Times: “There is no way he will go down that route or anything like it.”

They added: "He is really thinking, how do we make his coronation feel most relevant in the future? He is mindful of the fact that in 20 years’ time, or whenever his time comes, how can the coronation be modern but also unifying to the nation and the Commonwealth? I think his coronation will look and feel quite different."

Prince William at the Coronation

Prince William wants his Coronation to be modernised to reflect 21st Century Britain

PA

While William is not eager for his Coronation to arrive any time soon, he is thought to understand that now is a good time to reflect on what could have been improved in King Charles's ceremony.

Another source close to William said: "He’s taking stock, he’s thinking ‘that was a supreme success and it was because Pa altered things. I’ve got to be cognisant of how that evolution happens in my day. What is it that stays? What do I need to change? What will our relationships with the realms and the Commonwealth be then?’

"I don’t think he’ll be taking the filleting knife to it, but he will be checking it is sharp."

King Charles's Coronation was watched by 20.4 million, according to ratings from the research organisation Barb.

Diana Wehrle, insights director at MRI Springboard, which collected the data, said: "[The] Coronation - a once-in-a-lifetime event for many - somewhat inevitably drew consumers away from stores and destinations as many were watching the proceedings."

The figures is far higher than the 17.9 million people who watched Duke and Duchess of Sussex's wedding in 2018.

However, it is significantly lower than the 28 million who tuned in to watch the Queen's funeral last September.

You may like