Royal Expert Claims William And Kate Have A Plan To Avoid Prince Louis Feeling Like A 'Spare' At Coronation
With every day that passes, we're inching closer to King Charles III's coronation, which means that all of the details have been considered, including what role each of the royals in attendance will play. Given that the British rule follows a very specific lineage — and that William, Prince of Wales, has moved up in the line for succession — he'll be particularly visible during the coronation. Per the Mirror, William will take part in a tradition that finds him kneeling before his father and then kissing him on his right cheek. Previously, this sacred rite was done by all the royal dukes, but given the more modern, smaller scale coronation Charles seeks to have, it will now be performed solely by William.
As the Telegraph shared back in October 2022, by the time of its completion, William will have had a pivotal role in Charles' slimmed down coronation plans, both publicly and behind the scenes. "[William] is taking a keen interest in the ceremony and how it reflects modern Britain," a source told the outlet, with William helping to eradicate those elements of the coronation that feel "archaic," "feudal," and "imperial." Prince George (William's eldest son who's now second-in-line to the throne) is expected to make an appearance in the coronation proceedings, but William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, are treading carefully to ensure no one feels left out.
How William and Kate plan to avoid history repeating itself
With the publication of Prince Harry's book "Spare," the Duke of Sussex makes it clear that he took King Charles telling Princess Diana "Wonderful. Now you've given me an heir and a spare, my work is done" to heart; he also brought to light some other startling revelations. Naturally, William and Kate hope to avoid another situation wherein their son, Prince Louis, or the "spare" in this scenario, feels slighted by his parents and the royal institution at large. As reported by Express, all three of William and Kate's children (George, Princess Charlotte, and Louis) will attend the coronation, despite Louis' age: the little royal is only four.
However, it seems as though Louis' young age might add some levity to the formal occasion. "Some people might say four-year-old Louis was so funny, he's the cutest — it's like, do you make that decision to take your kids to a posh restaurant?" a royal commentator asked on Sky Australia's The Royal Report March 19 podcast, before adding, "Yes, you do, because it's going to be funny but more than that . . . It's going to make sure that Louis has a memory of the coronation so when his big brother takes on that role, he and Charlotte are there to support him." Given that he's still so young, Kate and William might have a lot to do to reinforce said memory, but it is still a good starting point.