Everything We Think Will Happen When Prince William Becomes King
It's a lot of people's dream to become a royal, but only a handful actually get to experience what it's like to become king or queen. From the moment he was born, Prince William was given the hefty burden of one day becoming the future king of England. Although he had a huge responsibility for his future, his parents, King Charles and Princess Diana, tried to give him as normal of an upbringing as possible. So much so that according to Andrew Morton's book, "William and Catherine: Their Lives, Their Wedding," Prince William had even considered becoming a policeman as a kid. However, his brother, Prince Harry, reminded him of the important duty he has in his future. Prince Harry told William, "You can't, you have to be king."
As the years went by, Prince William grew more accustomed to the idea of becoming the future monarch, but it's not something he desperately wants. In a resurfaced clip from 2016 (via Marie Claire), William had told Nicholas Witchell that while he hopes to be a "modern king," it's "not at the top of [his] priority list." He continued, "I certainly don't lie awake at night waiting or hoping for it because it sadly means my family has moved on and I don't want that." While Prince William may not want to rush his ascent to the throne, it will eventually happen, and when it does, things will change. So, we're breaking down everything that will happen when Prince William inevitably becomes king.
Prince William will immediately become king after King Charles' death
Much like how King Charles took the title of king following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, William will do the same. Charles' death will mark the beginning of a new monarchy with Prince William taking over. It is likely that Buckingham Palace will release a news statement regarding Charles' passing and will have some plan in place for the next steps.
William will not be the only one stepping into a new role upon Charles' death. Everyone in succession to the throne will move up in the ladder, and Prince George will become next in line for the title of king. If George has yet to have any kids, Prince William and Kate Middleton's other two children, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, will follow in line closely behind.
King Charles' cancer diagnosis helped put into perspective what a monarchy under Prince William would look like as he took on more royal duties while his father was recovering. A British historian told CBC, "The crisis with King Charles threw the role of Prince William into sharp focus because we now really could begin to see him as the king in waiting and not just the prince of Wales." Although it's unclear the timeline of when Prince William will become king, he has prepared for this his whole life and will surely know what to do when the moment comes.
Kate Middleton will likely take on the title of queen consort
Things will quickly shift as soon as Prince William becomes king. One of the things that will likely change when William becomes monarch is that Kate Middleton will become a queen consort. The reason the consort aspect is attached to the title is because she is not a royal by blood but rather through marriage.
Prior to the wedding of Prince William and Kate, the royal was referred to by her given name. However, after tying the knot with the future king, she was given the title of Duchess of Cambridge. Over the years, she has acquired different names, but as soon as William becomes king, she will be queen consort. This is the same title that Queen Camilla assumed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Much like Camilla, who became just Queen Camilla after King Charles' coronation, the consort aspect of Kate's title will probably be dropped during Prince William's coronation.
The coronation will not only mark Prince William as the official monarch but give Kate the title of Queen Kate. And if you're wondering what would happen to Queen Camilla if King Charles suddenly dies, well, it would be in the hands of Prince William. Typically, however, if a monarch's wife outlives them, they will be given the title of queen dowager, which essentially means a widow of a king.