How Prince William's Royal Engagements Are Changing The Monarchy For The Better

On November 3, 2022, William, the Prince of Wales, and Catherine, the Princess of Wales, visited the seaside town of Scarborough in North Yorkshire (via the Daily Mail). The royal couple toured two community centers in the area, which received funding from The Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Two Ridings Community Foundation, to "help support the mental wellbeing of children and young people" in Scarborough.

Traditionally, royal visits raise awareness for particular causes, often supported by the members of the royal family visiting, in hopes the money will be raised to support their work to better people's lives. But since becoming heir to the British throne and taking on King Charles III's previous title as the Prince of Wales, Prince William has seized the opportunity to fast-track his plan of modernizing the monarchy. According to The Telegraph, this has been in the works for some time and is a joint venture between William and Charles. It's believed that part of the reason is to tackle media coverage of royal visits, which often focus on what they're wearing and how they interact with each other and the public rather than on the charities they're supporting.

Even before King Charles III ascended the throne, there were reports that he was planning to slim down and modernize the monarchy (via the Express). There are currently 22 people in line to the throne, compared to the small, tight-knit group of senior royals during their reign of King George VI, which included him, The Queen Mother, and their daughters, Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret.

While those plans have yet to be set in motion, the reinvention of royal visits by William, the Prince of Wales, and Catherine, the Princess of Wales, is starting to take shape. With the king's blessing, Prince William and Kate Middleton will raise money for the charities and organizations they visit before arrival and then announce the funds raised (via The Telegraph). These visits will be referred to as a "Community Impact Day," with the one they undertook in Scarborough being a pilot of the newly proposed scheme. The royal couple will still undertake traditional visits but hope to combine this into their routine.

Their visit on November 3 was a very successful pilot, with the collaboration between The Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Two Ridings Community Foundation having raised a significant amount of money to support the children and young people in the northern seaside town.

The Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Two Ridings Community Foundation raised £345,000 ($392,500) to help fund "the provision of safe spaces, affordable sports and outdoor activities, youth work, creative workshops, and mentoring," as The Telegraph reports. "The legacy of today is bringing together and collaborating and showing what can be done when a community comes together," Prince William said during the visit. "It is something we'd like to follow on and I hope can be represented more widely across the country."

The Prince of Wales also shared how he and Kate Middleton were introduced to the improvements that will be made with the funding and how it will benefit the mental health of the children and young people who will use them. William and Kate are strong supporters of tackling the stigma that often surrounds mental health, having founded the charity Heads Together in 2016 with Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex (via UK mental health charity Mind). "I think, particularly on the mental health side of things, tackling the stigma, talking about mental health and providing services throughout the community are crucial to how we go forwards and deal with mental health issues that many, many people face," Willam added.