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LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 27: Prince William, Prince of Wales speaks with winners ahead of the 12th annual Tusk Conservation Awards, at The Savoy Hotel on November 27, 2024 in London, England. The awards recognise dedicated, forward-thinking individuals who are conservation leaders and wildlife rangers across Africa.
Photo by Justin Tallis – WPA Pool/Getty Images

Prince William already planning to deploy Royal Family’s ‘secret weapon’ when he becomes king

Don't worry, it's not a giant laser.

Prince William isn’t the one on the throne just yet, but it’s probably only practical for him to start thinking about how he would handle things once he does inherit the kingdom from his father, King Charles. As it happens, reports suggest that, once William becomes king, he plans to make use of what some are calling the Royal Family’s “secret weapon.”

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To clarify, as amusing as it is to imagine William pressing a big red button and a doomsday weapon appearing out of the top of Buckingham Palace, this secret weapon isn’t so much of the giant laser variety and is, in fact, a flesh and blood person. The reason they might be dubbed the family’s secret weapon is because they are one of the lesser-known Royals active today. The prince and future king, however, allegedly intends to bring this underrated aristocrat to the fore.

Prince William doesn’t want to waste Royal Family’s “secret weapon” once he’s in charge

Catherine, Princess of Wales and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh react as they stand on a balcony the annual Service Of Remembrance at The Cenotaph on November 10, 2024 in London, England
Photo by Toby Melville – WPA Pool/Getty Images

Ahead of her 60th birthday next Monday, Jan. 20, one oft-overlooked member of the Royal Family is being pegged for a major promotion in the years to come, at least if her nephew has anything to say about it.

As per The Sunday Times, Prince William fully plans to entrust Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, with more responsibility when he becomes king. “They [the Waleses and the Edinburghs] get on very well,” a royal source told the publication, regarding how close William and Kate are to Sophie and husband, Prince Edward, William’s uncle. Charles’ son is said to be “eager for his aunt and uncle to play a more prominent role in public life.”

Royal experts frequently refer to the duchess as the “secret weapon” of the Royal Family due to her tireless commitment to public duty, even if she isn’t among the most famous names on the family tree. That’s obviously the point, though, as the other senior Royals are likely relieved that they can rely on Edward — the late Queen Elizabeth II’s youngest child — and his wife to stay out of the limelight and not grab headlines for the wrong reasons (like Edward’s older brother, Andrew, for instance).

It’s unclear what William might have planned for his aunt and uncle, as the duke and duchess are plenty busy enough as it is. Sophie undertook a hefty 124 royal engagements last year, while her husband managed even more at a whopping 126. For comparison, Prince William — who was extra busy due to his father’s illness keeping him out of action — clocked in 71 royal appearances. Only the unstoppable Princess Anne was busier last year, with her record-breaking 217 engagements.

“She’s tough, she knows her own mind and will argue her corner,” shared The Times‘ source, regarding what Sophie is like behind closed doors. “There was always a danger people underestimated her but she stood up for herself, for Edward, for them as a couple.”

With both William and Kate quietly preparing themselves to become king and queen — whenever that might happen, although hopefully not for a long time yet — it seems the Royal Family is hoping to ensure their family’s future is much more stable than its present.


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Christian Bone
Editor and Writer
Christian Bone is a Staff Writer/Editor at We Got This Covered. Since graduating with a Creative Writing degree from the University of Winchester, he has been cluttering up the internet with his thoughts on movies and TV for over a decade. The MCU is his comfort place but, if you asked him, he'd probably say his favorite superhero film is The Incredibles.