Prince William Said to Tighten Grip on Royal Decisions
Prince William is being portrayed as taking a more decisive role behind the scenes as the Royal Family navigates renewed scrutiny and internal change. The Prince of Wales, 43, has been linked in reports to recent decisions involving his uncle Prince Andrew and, separately, the public profile of Andrew’s daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
The Mirror reported that Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie were banned from attending Royal Ascot, a move the outlet said left the sisters “completely blindsided”, with Prince William understood to have played a part in the decision.
Royal expert Dr Andrew Lownie claimed on his podcast, The Lownie Report, that “William, I think, is calling more of the shots now,” adding that he sensed distancing “even from the Sussexes” and arguing the Prince of Wales wants “real change in people’s attitude toward the monarchy.” The Mirror report also said Beatrice had taken the alleged Ascot decision particularly hard, as the sisters continued to maintain a low public profile.
The reported shift in influence comes amid continuing fallout around the Duke of York, and follows earlier Britpop News coverage suggesting Prince William has backed tougher boundaries involving Prince Andrew as the wider family seeks to limit reputational damage.
Any perception that Prince William is becoming more central to decision-making is likely to add to ongoing debate about how the monarchy is managed as it tries to project stability and modernise its public image.
