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Prince William just took a big step towards the throne. The Duke of Cambridge reportedly met with senior palace aides about taking over the Duchy of Cornwall once his father, Prince Charles, inherits the crown. The Prince of Wales currently runs the lucrative estate and will pass it down to William once he is the King of the United Kingdom.

Prince William
Prince William | Daniel Leal-Olivas – WPA Pool/Getty Images

What is the Duchy of Cornwall?

The Duchy of Cornwall was started back in 1337 by Edward III. The estate is spread across 21 counties in England’s South-west corridor.

The majority of the estate features livestock and farmland, commercial and residential properties, and quarries. There are also a number of different rivers and forests on the land as well.

In a recent interview, Prince William discussed taking over the Duchy of Cornwall and admitted that he does not know nearly as much as his father about the land.

“I’ve got the interest and the passion. The countryside is deep in my heart,” William added. “I want to learn and know more about farming, but the countryside and the way of life and the best people in the countryside is what I grew up with. I’m not a London boy.”

To be fair, Charles has had plenty of practice running the Duchy of Cornwall. The Prince of Wales took over the estate when he was 21 years old and has been running it for the past 50 years. It is unlikely that Prince William will do the same, but he will be tasked with taking the lead once Charles inherits the crown from Queen Elizabeth.

Prince William holds a private meeting

With William set to take over the operation, he recently met with senior royal aides about the Duchy of Cornwall. The private meeting was held inside Kensington Palace and included the Secretary of the Duchy of Cornwall.

The event was included in the Court Circular, which serves as a diary for the royal family. The journal did not reveal any specifics of the meeting, but it did confirm that Prince William met with the secretary.

“The Duke of Cambridge this morning received Mr Alastair Martin [Secretary of the Duchy of Cornwall],” the Court Circular read.

We do not know exactly what Prince William and Martin discussed in their meeting, but it is an important step for William. Considering how Queen Elizabeth is turning 94 years old this year, it is only a matter of time before Charles takes the throne.

Once that happens, it will up to William to take over the Duchy of Cornwall and manage the finances of the estate. Given his knowledge of the property, now is the time for William to learn as much as he can.

Prince William preparing to be King

In light of the meetings, royal experts believe William has taken another step towards the throne. According to Express, expert Charlie Proctor believes William is following his father’s lead and is doing everything in his power to prepare for the day he becomes King.

“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,” Proctor shared.

In previous years, Prince William left his professional job as a pilot to become a full-time member of the royal family. Ever since then, he has been taking small steps to prepare himself for the throne.

Charles has done the same thing over the past six decades. Luckily for William, he will not have to wait nearly as long as Charles to take the throne. The Prince of Wales is already in his 70s and has yet to inherit the crown from Queen Elizabeth.

Even still, Prince William is clearly thinking ahead and doing his best to ensure that he is ready for when his time comes.

Will Prince Charles change his name when he becomes King?

Once Charles takes his seat at the head of the monarchy, there has been a lot of speculation about what name he will pick as the King of the United Kingdom.

Nothing official has been confirmed, but royal expert Dickie Arbiter believes Charles will most likely select the name King George when he ascends the throne. Charles’s full name is Charles Philip Arthur George, and he can pick any of these names when he takes the crown.

It is unlikely that Charles will keep his first name, as King Charles I was charged with treason and executed. King Charles II was also a hedonist who went by the nickname “Merry Monarch” — not exactly a history Charles wants to embrace.

Prince Charles, of course, has not commented on the reports surrounding his rise to the throne or Prince William’s takeover of the Duchy of Cornwall. 

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