Royal Family News: How Queen Turned Prince William From A Boy To A Monarch

British royal family news reveals that Prince William is so popular that many UK citizens would like to see him leapfrog onto the throne when Queen Elizabeth is no longer monarch. This would entail William taking the place of his father Prince Charles who is next in line. Will it happen? Plenty of people doubt this scenario but according to one royal historian William’s fitness to be king has much to do with his grandmother’s tutelage.

Royal Family News – Prince William Is Popular

Robert Lacey is the author of Battle of Brothers and he writes about William in this week’s People cover story. He believes that an afternoon tradition has helped William hone his leadership skills.

Lacey recounts that after his parents Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana divorced, Queen Elizabeth instituted Sunday lunches with William.

“The prince takes his style from his royal grandmother, who intervened as the marriage of William’s parents dissolved in 1995,” writes Lacey. “The 13-year-old was in a fragile place — alone and just starting boarding at the elite Eton College across the river from Windsor. Concerned for her grandson’s emotional state, the Queen invited William up to join her when Eton boys went home for the weekend.”

Royal Family News – Prince William Has A Special Bond With The Queen

Lacey said the lunch dates were the late Prince Philip’s idea. “Philip was crucial in helping coach William as a future King,” he said. “It was Philip’s idea to set up the lunches between William and his grandmother. When the time came for the Queen to talk business with William, Philip would quietly excuse himself because he didn’t feel that the constitutional side of the Queen’s job was something he wanted to interfere in.”

Philip died at age 99 in April, surrounded by his loved ones at Windsor Castle.

Royal Family News – William Will One Day Be King

Prince William’s popularity is not in question. In popularity polls he regularly comes out in second place to the queen. A recent UK poll gave Prince William an 80% popularity rating, with the queen garnering 85%.

All in all it appears that the monarchy will be in good hands with William at the helm. “The British throne has survived beheading, exile and enough scandal to stock entire libraries. Now a new leader — William, not Charles — is paving the way forward,” writes Lacey. At this crucial inflection point, William, 39, continues to model his leadership on the style he learned from his grandmother.”

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