King Charles III is reportedly accelerating preparations for the eventual transition to Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales—especially after confirming his cancer diagnosis last year and increasing William’s public duties. Alongside more visibility at major events, William has also been leaning into his role as Duke of Cornwall, using the estate to push reforms aimed at social impact and community wellbeing—signals that the “next reign” is being quietly shaped in advance rather than left to tradition and timing.

The bigger surprise is a break with long-standing royal custom: Charles has decided that Kate will be allowed to issue royal warrants, an honor usually reserved for the monarch and the monarch’s spouse. To do that, William and Kate must be formally appointed as Grantors of Royal Warrants, after which Kate can publicly recognize brands and craftspeople she believes meet a high standard—effectively giving them a stamp of royal approval and permission to use the royal crest. The rules still require an established relationship with the royal household (typically supplying goods or services for several years), and warrants can be withdrawn if quality slips. But symbolically, the shift is huge: it positions Kate not just as a supportive figure beside the future king, but as an active representative of British industry and culture—suggesting Charles sees her as central to the monarchy’s modern image, not merely adjacent to it.