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LONDON: Prince William’s 40th birthday this week marks a significant milestone for the future king, who is rapidly stamping his authority on the British royal family by plotting a course between tradition and modernity.
William’s wife Catherine celebrated her landmark birthday in January and only Queen Elizabeth II is held in higher regard by the public than the close-knit couple, who are often held up as a model for the future of the monarchy.
According to pollsters YouGov, William, whose birthday is on Tuesday, is the most popular royal behind the queen, with a 66-percent approval rating, followed by Kate on 60 percent.
“It’s a very important milestone for him because, with his father Prince Charles, he’s stepping up to support the queen, and also to continue to create an identity as the future king,” royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told AFP.
Such is William’s popularity that many even want him to leapfrog his father and become king when his grandmother dies.
Since the 96-year-old sovereign began winding down her duties due to ill health and old age last year, second-in-line to the throne William has been an increasingly influential figure.
The Duke of Cambridge, as he is officially known, accompanied his father when the queen missed the State Opening of Parliament in May and has also weighed in on important family decisions.
He was reportedly a prime mover in blocking the participation of Prince Andrew, his sex scandal-hit uncle, in the traditional Order of the Garter ceremony this month.
“They (William and Kate) are the monarchy’s future, that was underlined at the balcony appearance at the end of the Jubilee” celebrations to mark the queen’s record-breaking 70-year reign, said Fitzwilliams.
William’s time has been devoted to the family since giving up his role as a helicopter ambulance pilot in 2017.
Significantly, he is reportedly planning to move out of London’s Kensington Palace and into a four-bedroom cottage, described as modest, on the grounds of the queen’s Windsor Castle home west of London where she spends most of her time.
The move will allow him to get closer to the queen and strengthen his role in the family’s inner sanctum, commentators said.
While he is becoming more committed to his royal duties, he is also determined to provide a normal life for his three children – Prince George, aged eight, Princess Charlotte, seven, and four-year-old Prince Louis.
