Prince William Stepped into a Surprising—and Unexpected—Role in the Royal Family

Prince William hasn’t technically succeeded the throne yet, but the royal has already taken the reigns when it comes to “calling the shots,” a source told The Daily Beast. Following the death of Prince Philip, William has replaced his grandfather’s role of head honcho, making him the family‘s primary disciplinarian.

“Philip ruled the family with a rod of iron, and you saw when he died, that discipline collapsed,” the insider shared. “Now, William is calling the shots when it comes to family discipline.”

When it comes to major decisions—like Kate Middleton’s attendance at Trooping the Colour or King Charles’s potential California visit—William has taken it upon himself to give the “final say,” per The Daily Express.

The Prince of Wales “now takes the lead on big decisions and move[s] to protect loved ones with the final say,” a source told the outlet. But, William’s authority doesn’t negate his father’s power as the head of the monarchy.

“William’s rise does not mean the king is a lame duck,” the outlet writes. “He is still an immensely powerful figure whose word is (sometimes literally) law, who can get anyone in the world on the phone with a click of his fingers.”

“His recent return to public work has been nothing short of miraculous, given that he is suffering from cancer and undergoing treatment for the disease, and his surging popularity figures tell their own story,” The Daily Beast added.

When Prince Philip served as head of the household, insiders said that the royal was quite strict.

“It was said he [Philip] didn’t have a soft side—at least not seen in public,” The Daily Express added. Even Queen Elizabeth relied on her husband’s ability to lay down the law at home, with the outlet describing their relationship as: “Prince Philip ran the royal household while Queen Elizabeth ran the nation.”

Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith added that Elizabeth “relied increasingly on her husband to make the major family decisions, and she depended on the nannies to supervise daily lives.”

The perfect example of William’s influence over the family’s decisions? His plan to move his uncle Prince Andrew out of the Royal Lodge and into Frogmore Cottage.

“William has long held a grudge against Andrew for being unwelcoming when he first introduced the then Kate Middleton to the royal family and feels that his father has been too soft on him,” Royal reporter Richard Kay told Mail Online. “It has led to speculation that it is William who is pushing his father to evict the Duke of York from Royal Lodge, so the Waleses could move in.”