Prince William has been urged to ditch a ‘ridiculous’ royal tradition that has been likened to something out of a Disney film when he becomes King
Prince William is reportedly reflecting on what his coronation will be like(Image: Getty)
Prince William has been encouraged to abandon a “ridiculous” Royal tradition that seems straight out of a Disney movie. The Prince of Wales is reportedly contemplating the nature of his future coronation.
His father, King Charles, had already shortened his own coronation by half an hour compared to Queen Elizabeth II’s three-hour-long ceremony. According to Sunday Times Royal Editor Roya Nikkah, William has hinted that his own coronation would “look and feel quite different”.
The Prince of Wales reportedly desires a coronation that is both “relevant” to the modern world and “unifying” for the Commonwealth. This comes as a source informed Nikkah that William’s coronation could be more pared-down than his father’s.
The source told The Times, “Look at the coronations of medieval kings. They were staggeringly simple. Keep things pertinent to today, that reflect diversity, and get back to the core of it.”
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The insider also suggested that William forego the Imperial State Crown. The crown, created in 1937 for the coronation of King George VI—William’s great-grandfather—is estimated to be worth around $3 to $5 billion and is decorated with 3,170 precious stones, reports the Express.
King Charles has followed tradition by wearing the Imperial State Crown (Image: PA Wire/PA Archive)
Like his mother, Charles wore the Imperial State Crown during the procession following his coronation.
After being crowned with the traditional St Edward’s Crown — a holy relic used by every monarch since the 13th century and weighing nearly 5lb (2.23kg) — he switched to a different headpiece. An insider revealed: “That ridiculous thing that looks like it’s out of Disney? No. What I remember most about that day was William and Catherine’s robes, Catherine’s beautiful, simple headpiece, and William wearing nothing on his head.”
It’s still unclear which crown Prince William will choose for his coronation, but reports suggest he has a sentimental attachment to the Imperial State Crown due to its connections to his father and grandmother.
Prince William shunned traditional attire at the Order of the Garter(Image: PA Wire/PA Archive)
Prince William isn’t afraid to break from tradition. In 2024, he chose not to wear the traditional Court Dress at the Order of the Garter ceremony.
Instead of the customary “knee socks and embroidered garter”, William opted for a modern white tie look with regular trousers.
Daily Mail Diary Editor Richard Eden commented at the time: “William was at the event, but he opted for white tie and just regular trousers – so a bit of a disappointment really. It would be great to see him in those silk stockings and breeches.”
While William has been seen in knee-britches before, Eden believes he appears “uncomfortable” in the traditional attire. However, he thinks Princess Kate enjoys these “dressing up” occasions.
He further commented: “You can always see her sort of teasing and giggling at him – particularly when it’s the Order of the Garter ceremony where he has to wear all the velvet robes and the feathers, that’s always fun.”