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Prince William may be looking toward a new generation of senior working royals, according to one expert, as he appears to be “running out of royals” to represent the Firm.
There has been growing speculation that when the Prince of Wales eventually becomes king, he will usher in a new era for the Royal Family — one defined by a “slimmed-down monarchy” that would further reduce the number of senior working members within the institution.
The number of working royals has already been significantly reduced, following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision to step back from royal duties and relocate to the United States in 2020, as well as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s removal from public life.
According to Daily Mail commentator Christopher Wilson, Prince William may be considering giving Lady Louise Windsor — the daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh — a more prominent role within the royal family.
Speaking about the limited number of visible working royals in recent months, Wilson said: “That leaves dark-horse contender Lady Louise Windsor, 22, who charms all who meet her and could be a decorative and useful asset to the royal team. But her mother Sophie, vastly protective of her daughter, is just as likely to want her to stay out of the spotlight.”
He also commented on Lady Louise’s younger brother, James, 18, and the possibility of him stepping into a royal role. “Little is known of his character and personality or whether he’d wish to serve as a front rank royal – even if William wished it. Currently he’s a pupil at Radley, the Berkshire public school.”
Mr Wilson also suggested that William could face challenges, as “public demand for the attendance of a royal to mark major and minor events up and down the country remains as high as ever.”
Lady Louise Windsor — currently studying at St Andrews University in Scotland, where William and Kate first met — has made a handful of appearances at royal events, including Royal Ascot and Trooping the Colour.
However, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have remained firm in their decision to keep their children largely out of the spotlight, aiming to give them as “normal” an upbringing as possible despite their royal background.
Although Louise and James are entitled to use His or Her Royal Highness titles as grandchildren of Queen Elizabeth II, their parents chose not to adopt them in the hope it would allow for a more ordinary life.
Duchess Sophie explained in a 2020 interview with The Times: “We try to bring them up with the understanding they are very likely to have to work for a living. Hence we made the decision not to use HRH titles.”
