Prince Philip had Queen change Prince of Wales training to ensure William ready for throne
PRINCE Philip played a pivotal role in ensuring the Queen would provide their grandson Prince William with the right education and tools to become king, a new documentary has claimed.
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Prince Philip became increasingly involved in Prince William's upbringing as he attempted to help the young prince and his brother Harry recover from their mother's sudden death in 1997. According to royal commentator Isabelle Rivère, the Duke of Edinburgh suggested to the Queen key changes to the traditional approach used to prepare heirs to the throne for their future role as Prince of Wales. Speaking to France 2's documentary "Prince Philip - At Her Majesty's Service," Ms Rivère said: "It was Philip who suggested to the Queen to invite their grandson to lunch once a week at Windsor Castle.
"And so the three of them would get lunch once a week and, at the end of the meal, Philip would slip away and leave Elizabeth to have a one-on-one meeting with William.
"For a long time, William was a little at odds with his future as a king, a future to which he had been forced since his birth."
The French commentator suggested the meetings between Her Majesty and her grandson allowed William to come to terms with the pressure and burden he would face for the rest of his life.
Ms Rivère added: "In a sense, it was a very precious moment, this tete-a-tete with his grandmother that allowed William to reconcile with his destiny."
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Prince William has kept up with his training during the years and has demonstrated his commitment to the Royal Family and his grandmother by taking on an increasing number of duties.
And the Duke of Cambridge is also believed to have been instructed on how to handle the management of his father's Duchy of Cornwall that is due to pass on to him once Prince Charles becomes king.
William began attending Palace meetings in 2018 to discuss the requirements of the huge managerial position he will be taking on in the coming years.
The Duchy was originally established in 1337 during the reign of Edward III and has slowly expanded to cover 21 counties across the southwest of England.
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Royal expert Charlie Proctor told The Daily Star Online in February: “Just like Prince Charles is preparing to become King, William is already preparing to become Prince of Wales ready for the duties and responsibilities he will have to take on.
“As an example, William recently left his job as an air ambulance pilot to become a full time working royal.
“As time goes on his presence becomes ever more important meaning he has to commit all of his working time to royal duties.”
Both Charles and William have stepped up during the pandemic, representing Her Majesty on public occasions as she remains shielded at Windsor Castle.
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Members of the Royal Family managed to reunite in a considerable group this week as the Queen welcomed Prince William and Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge to Berkshire at the end of their three-day tour of Britain.
Hosting a small celebration to thank local NHS staff, Her Majesty and the Cambridges were joined by Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall to show a united front.
Princess Anne, the Princess Royal and Prince Edward with Sophie, the Countess of Wessex also appeared with the Queen and the two senior royal couples to pay tribute to doctors, nurses, social carers and volunteers for their efforts during the coronavirus pandemic.