Prince William is set to move away from traditional royal protocols in his ambitions to create change.
The 42-year-old Prince of Wales reportedly wishes to prioritise “projects not patronages,” according to royal insiders.
Alastair Martin, who has worked under both King Charles and William at the Duchy of Cornwall, told the Times William gave him his mobile number and said: “If you want me, just get me, just message me.”
Martin described the move from King Charles’s landline to William’s WhatsApp as an “overnight adjustment”.
Prince William is set to move away from traditional royal protocols in his ambitions to create change
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Martin said: “That’s how [William] works and he’s very involved. There will be weekends when my WhatsApp messages will be in double figures and I will be very responsive.
“If something has gone well or badly, I will want to tell my boss and he’ll be straight back.”
Former Foreign Secretary William Hague, who has worked closely with William for over a decade, highlighted the prince’s proactive approach when pursuing causes.
Hague told The Times: “He phoned me up when I left Government. He had this idea—Governments were working slowly on illegal wildlife trade, and he asked, ‘Why don’t we get the private sector involved?’
“William isn’t interested in lengthy meetings or endless discussions. I’ve often heard him say, ‘There’s been too much talk, we need action’.”
Prince William is the oldest son of King Charles and first inline to the British throne
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Hague added: “William is friendly and personable, but he is results-driven. You wouldn’t want to tell him you’ve made no progress. He wants to see real change.”
This results-driven approach is exemplified in the Earthshot Prize, launched in 2020 and inspired by President Kennedy’s ‘moonshot’ programme, which awards five innovative projects £1million each to combat critical environmental issues.
The prize, which aims to drive significant environmental change within a decade, will hold its next ceremony in Brazil ahead of the UN climate summit COP30.
William has also committed to addressing homelessness by unveiling his five-year Homewards initiative aimed at eradicating homelessness in the UK, a cause inspired by his late mother, Princess Diana.
Prince William launched the Earthshot Prize in 2020, which awards five innovative projects £1 million each to combat critical environmental issues
Earthshot
The prince’s commitment has extended beyond formal engagements, having spent a night sleeping rough in 2009.
In recent years, William has supported Big Issue vendors on the street, highlighting homelessness through personal, visible action.
Royal commentators view this shift as part of a broader modernisation within the monarchy.
William’s decision represents a clear step away from symbolic engagements towards projects with meaningful outcomes.
