On April 20, King Charles IIIand Queen Camilla attended Easter services at St. George's Chapel in Windsor along with other royals, including Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson. Notably absent from the group gathering was Prince William.
The future king, 42, reportedly spent the weekend with wife
It's just the latest instance of William following a different path from his father's. "Celebrating Easter with the Middletons is a sign William is going his own way," an insider exclusively tells Life & Style. "He has made it no secret that he intends to do things differently when he's king. He wants less pomp and circumstance."
Taking a cue from his mum, the late Princess Diana, William aims to be more approachable as a monarch. "Forget that he went to church with his in-laws - William visited a common pub with Carole last year while Kate was undergoing cancer treatments," says the insider. "He's just more down-to-earth than his father ever was.
William plans to continue doing philanthropic work that will make a difference in the world, and he wants to engage directly with the public and be relatable to his generation. If that means breaking from some traditions, so be it."
Prince William Is Making His Own Hires
In another major shift from the king, William recently distanced himself from his dad's longtime lawyers, Harbottle & Lewis and Gerrard Tyrrell, and retained his own attorneys at the firm of Mishcon de Reya.
While some people might view William's actions as snubs, Charles, 76, is largely unphased … publicly, at least. "It must bother him a little that his son prefers spending time with Kate's side of the family - who are seemingly less stuffy and set in their ways - but Charles thinks William will make an excellent king," reveals the insider.
"While he may not approve of everything his son is doing, like booking shorter royal visits overseas, Charles won't stand in his way."
