William and Kate are showing they're not afraid to do things differently - Analysis by Cameron Walker
'Kate and William are showing they're not afraid to do things differently'
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Hiring a Chief Executive shows The Prince and Princess of Wales are modern royals who are not afraid to do things differently.
The successful candidate, thought to be the first CEO hired in a royal household, will be the most senior and accountable leader within Kensington Palace, reporting directly to Prince William and Princess Catherine, and responsible for roughly 60 staff.
The future King and Queen have separate Private Secretaries, but they share a Communications team and their growing number of campaigns and projects have significantly increased the workload.
Prince William's time now also has to be split between stewardship of the Duchy of Cornwall and his new duties as heir apparent.
William and Kate visit the We Are Farming Minds Charity at Kings Pitt Farm in Hereford
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So, does this mean less time for The Earthshot Prize (finding solutions to repair the planet), Shaping Us (raising awareness about the importance of early childhood development) and Homewards (showing it is possible to end homelessness in Britain)?
I doubt it. The job description requires the successful candidate to work "closely with the CEOs of The Royal Foundation, The Duchy of Cornwall and The Earthshot Prize to support and maximise the impact of [William and Catherine's] work".
It appears Prince William and Princess Catherine want someone who can help guide the ship, encouraging collaboration, and ensuring none of their worthy causes get left behind.
The CEO will also be responsible for working directly with Buckingham Palace, where The King and Queen's staff are based.
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Kate at Kings Pitt Farm in Hereford
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This suggests a desire from Prince William and Princess Catherine to make sure their work and priorities support Their Majesties and align with King Charles' vision for the monarchy going forward.
This is in contrast to Prince Harry's memoir, which suggested frequent infighting between the different households.
The Duke of Sussex described Prince William, the then Prince Charles and The Late Queen's Private Secretaries as "middle-aged white men who'd manage to consolidate power through a series of bold Machiavellian manoeuvres".
But the future head of Prince William and Princess Catherine's household is very unlikely to fit that description.
William and Kate's candidate will be responsible for roughly 60 staff
PA
The job advert requires the new Chief Executive to have a "low ego", and "strong self-awareness and understanding of their impact on others".
The antithesis of a 2018 Kensington Palace, haunted by unproven and disputed accusations of bullying from Prince William's sister-in-law.
It looks like the Prince and Princess of Wales want to make sure their staff continue to be happy and well-supported in the workplace.