Prince William No Longer Overwhelmed to Assume the Throne After King Charles

Prince William is ready to embrace his future role in the British monarchy. The Prince of Wales got candid about what awaits him as heir to the throne, admitting that it wasn't easy at first, but 'time and age' eventually helped him settle in.

Prince William On Being The Future King: 'I Can Do That'

Prince William has been aware his whole life that he is meant to lead the British monarchy. The huge role, however, wasn't easy to grasp when he was a young boy.

The Prince of Wales grew up in a royal household, and his environment may have helped him embrace his role. Prince William witnessed his grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth, rule the monarchy for most of his life, and his father, King Charles, ascend to the throne following Her Majesty's passing.

It seems Prince William has finally accepted his fate, admitting on Reluctant Traveler that his future role no longer overwhelms him as it did before.

'With time and age, I think you feel a bit more settled in that side of things. You go, "Actually, I can do that,"' the royal dad of three said, per Page Six. 'And even if a few curve balls come in, that doesn't necessarily overwhelm me.'

Queen Elizabeth Prepared Prince William For His Role

In the same interview, Prince William admitted that he wasn't very close to his grandmother growing up, pointing out that it was challenging to build a 'very close relationship because it was quite formal.' Their relationship improved, though, when Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip got older.

'But as they got older and I got older, it got warmer and warmer,' the future king added.

The late Queen was very dedicated to the throne and even prioritised it over her family, and this was evident in her relationship with them. According to royal biographers Robert Lacey and Ingrid Seward, she would invite Prince William to Windsor Castle and Balmoral on weekends, not to relax, but to discuss the letters and state papers the Queen received from ministers, ambassadors, and Commonwealth officials.

Although it wasn't formal lessons, it was Queen Elizabeth's way of exposing her grandson to his future duties. The Queen was an effective teacher, with Prince William once describing his royal grandmother as his 'role model of duty and service.'​

Prince William Acknowledges The Need To 'Develop Into A Duty Role'

In a 2016 interview to mark Queen Elizabeth's 90th birthday, Prince William was asked about his future role. At the time, however, he sounded different and was clearly not ready to step up, preferring to wait for decades before assuming the throne.

Kate Middleton's husband told the BBC that he takes his duty 'very seriously.' However, he believes he has to wait his own time, suggesting it isn't his season yet, and he would rather focus on his growing family.

'It's about finding your own way at the right time, and if you're not careful, duty can weigh you down at a very early age,' Prince William added. 'I think you have got to develop into a duty role.'

In the same interview, Prince William shared a glimpse of what royal fans can expect under his leadership. He hinted at modernising the royal family to keep it relevant.

The Prince of Wales, however, was still unsure how to do it. 'And that is the challenge for me. How do I make the royal family relevant in the next 20 years?' he said.