Prince William is planning to bestow a key role on a member of the Royal Family when he becomes King, according to reports. The Prince of Wales is widely expected to modernise the monarchy when he succeeds his father to the throne, including by assigning certain responsibilities to members of the Firm.
William's Discomfort with Racing
Alongside creating a leaner, more accountable institution, William is eyeing one royal in particular for a role he has 'never felt comfortable with', The Times reports. He is said to be keen to offload royal racing responsibilities onto his cousin, Zara Tindall, who, unlike him, shares a love of horses with King Charles and the late Queen Elizabeth II.
A royal source said: 'I never get the feeling [that] the whole top hat and racing is really his thing, and he's said as much. He's never really seemed comfortable doing it.'
Importance of Royal Ascot
They added that the prince 'understands how important' Royal Ascot is, 'not just to the racing community but to UK PLC', even if he plays a lesser role in the prestigious event than his predecessors. Despite his relative lack of enthusiasm about the sport, William enjoyed the races from the royal box at Ascot earlier this month, accompanying the Princess of Wales in her first appearance at the Berkshire meet since her cancer diagnosis in 2024.
The future King and Queen took part in the event's traditional carriage ride, and Kate made a surprise appearance when William presented the trophies in the aptly named Prince of Wales' Stakes. The Prince and Princess also appeared alongside their children at this month's Trooping the Colour ceremony, as well as the Garter Day celebrations at Windsor Castle.
Charles and Camilla's Racing Involvement
King Charles and Queen Camilla, both known to be keen racing fans, saw their dreams dashed on the first and second days of Royal Ascot when their horses were beaten on the track. They were joined by the Princess Royal and her newlywed son Peter Phillips and his wife Harriet Sperling to take in the spectacle, with other guests including the Queen's son Tom Parker Bowles. Charles and Camilla took on the late Queen's stable of horses and enjoyed their first Royal Ascot win in 2023, when their thoroughbred Desert Hero won the King George V Stakes.
Future Reliance on Zara Tindall
William could become increasingly reliant on Zara Tindall, alongside Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie, as older senior royals, including the Duke of Kent, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and the Princess Royal, prepare to wind down their duties in the coming years.
