As Prince William turns 41 on Wednesday, he can raise a toast to an exciting year ahead. While there is no big birthday celebration planned – sources close to William say there will be a low-key birthday tea at the family’s home in Windsor — the next year promises to be anything but quiet for the royal.
According to those close to him, the prince has adjusted “exceptionally well” to his new role as Prince of Wales, comfortably stepping into his father’s shoes whilst eager to map out his own agenda. His conservation initiative, The Earthshot Prize, has so far been a great success and last weekend plans for a new five-year plan to tackle homelessness in Britain were revealed.
William is also looking forward to spending more time in Wales, according to those close to him, as he is keen to forge an even closer connection with the country. “There’s a sense that right now his life is both settled but about to take an exciting turn,” said a family friend. “His 41st year will mark his first full year as Prince of Wales and he’s already laying down the markers for what that will look like. His home life is very established and settled. He and Catherine really feel they have the balance just right between their public roles and being a family unit. They love living a less visible life in Windsor, and after a pretty momentous year William is looking forward to putting the drama of the past behind him and new beginnings.”
While the royal family posted birthday wishes on social media Wednesday, it is not known whether William received a birthday message from Prince Harry. The two brothers are not on speaking terms following Harry and Meghan’s explosive interview with Oprah in 2021 and the publication of Harry’s controversial book Spare. William is said to be upset and angry following a series of damaging revelations in the tell-all memoir that was released in January. “There’s relief that the drama is over and done with and now he and Catherine can get on with their lives doing what they are passionate about without any distractions,” added the family friend.
For William that means focusing on tackling homelessness within the UK. William spoke with the Sunday Times about how he plans to address the problem of homelessness in Britain and educate his three children on the issue saying, “They [will] grow up knowing that actually, do you know what, some of us are very fortunate, some of us need a little bit of a helping hand, some of us need to do a bit more where we can to help others improve their lives.”
William, patron of the homeless charity Centrepoint, plans to continue the groundbreaking work Princess Diana did around homelessness and is particularly keen to address how it impacts young people. His new venture will be launched in conjunction with the Royal Foundation, his and Kate’s charitable forum. William who has inherited the Duchy of Cornwall land also said he plans to allow social housing to be built on parts of the royal estate for the first time. This coupled with his continued work around mental health awareness and the Earthshot Prize will form the cornerstones of his work as Prince of Wales along with supporting his father at home and overseas. It is expected that William and Kate will carry out an overseas tour later this year although Kensington Palace has yet to announce plans.
The Couple do however plan to visit Wales frequently. According to one palace source, the prince is keen to forge a close Relationship with the country, pointing out: “The prince has focused on Wales since becoming Prince of Wales. Expect to see regular visits as he and the princess are keen to visit more regularly.”
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