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As Prince William's recent visit to South Africa wound down, he offered up comments that sparked much curiosity and chatter, both for their personal nature and for his ideas about the future of the monarchy.

William was in South Africa for the fourth annual edition of his Earthshot environmental prize, but it was his more open and candid musings with reporters as the trip was coming to a close that drew particular attention.

"I can only describe what I'm trying to do, and … I'm trying to do it differently and I'm trying to do it for my generation," the 42-year-old heir to the throne told journalists. 

"And to give you more of an understanding around it, I'm doing it with maybe a smaller 'r' in the Royal, if you like — that's maybe a better way of saying it."

How that will manifest itself will only emerge over time. But there is a sense that it is his attempt to answer one of the more pressing questions for the monarchy right now: How can an institution so steeped in tradition be seen to be more relevant, particularly for younger generations?

"He wants to add this personal touch to it and that was really how he was leading into the lowercase-r," said Justin Vovk, a royal commentator and sessional professor of history at McMaster University in Hamilton, in an interview. 

"So to me, that says he's wanting to demystify it. I suspect he's wanting to make the monarchy feel more approachable and to really show the human side of it."

To that end, there were comments to reporters about how this past year — when both his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales, and his father, King Charles, were treated for cancer — has been the hardest year of his life.

"I'm so proud of my wife, I'm proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done," William said. "But from a personal family point of view, it's been brutal."

William's more personal comments are an example of a smaller-r approach, said Craig Prescott, a constitutional expert and lecturer in law at Royal Holloway, University of London.

"You can't imagine Elizabeth the Second saying anything like that," Prescott said.

"It was very much … there was a public role and then there was private."

With William, however, "it's all coming across much more human in this much more personality, celebrity-driven age…. It's planting himself in that context," said Prescott.

It's all, in ways, a continuation of what we have seen happening for a while, Prescott suggested, with efforts by members of the Royal Family to become "in a sense more normal and relevant."

"I think you see this particularly with Prince William and Catherine and their family," Prescott said.

"Those videos that we've seen over the past few months of them just being a family, you know, around the kitchen table playing … games or what have you — it's … suggesting that they are just a normal family in an extraordinary position and using that position … to do good and in that sense to be serving the nation rather than leading it in that way."

As William expanded on what a smaller-r approach might entail, he offered this:

"It's more about impact philanthropy, collaboration, convening and helping people," he said.

"And I'm also going to throw empathy in there as well, because I really care about what I do. It helps impact people's lives. And I think we could do with some more empathetic leadership around the world."

WATCH | Princess of Wales says she has finished chemo treatment: 

Princess of Wales releases video, says she's finished chemotherapy

Catherine, Princess of Wales, says in a video released by Kensington Palace on Monday that the last nine months have been 'incredibly tough' for her family, but she's now in a 'new phase of recovery' after completing chemotherapy that should allow her to attend some public engagements in the coming months.

Breaking down exactly what William might mean could be a bit nebulous.

"One of the beauties and the problems with a term like 'impact philanthropy' is that it is very vague…. It sounds … altruistic but unless we get a clear plan of 'this is exactly what it means,' it's kind of up to anyone's guess," said Vovk.

There's an implication in William's statement, Vovk suggested, that members of the Royal Family want to bring people together with themselves or members of their foundations and charities to find the most effective ways to help others.

"That level of collegial decision-making … is certainly a new development because up until really the last maybe 30 years or so, the monarchy's approach … had been: 

'These are the causes that align with us, we will support them, we will donate, but we don't really see them inviting people to participate in the conversation about how to help these people,'" said Vovk.

"So that's really new and that could be really exciting if it's done well. And that could be a huge step in strengthening the sense of the monarchy being of value to present-day Britons and Canadians."

William's mention of "empathy" was particularly notable.

"It's something that everybody needs, whether you're monarchist or republican or anywhere in between," said Vovk.

"It's no secret that the monarchy has been criticized in the past for not being terribly emotional or not demonstrating or reflecting the popular feeling that the people have in different times and situations. 

"But empathy is particularly critical for the monarchy right now because people need to see that the monarchy is empathetic with things … that the monarchy is not struggling with, like cost of living, housing, the economy."

How this will all play out for William remains to be seen.

"It's clear that William is thinking deeply about his role and how he's going to spend the next few years," said Prescott.

"Of course, inevitably, in his position you're just waiting for the moment when you become King. But he's clearly thinking about what the next few years hold for him and Catherine."

'Not a good look' for the royals and their finances

It has never been easy to understand how royal finances work, particularly the grey zone that some elements of them seem to straddle between the private and public spheres.

And that grey zone was under the microscope in recent days after a documentary and media investigation raised questions and controversy when it revealed the Royal Family has received millions of pounds in rent from Britain's National Health Service, the armed forces and schools.

The investigation by The Sunday Times and Channel 4's Dispatches revealed among other things that the private estates of King Charles and Prince William — the Duchy of Lancaster and the Duchy of Cornwall — have contracts with charities and public bodies.

"The idea that the army are having to pay and the navy and the NHS, that doesn't sit well with what you think of as monarchy today, which is to be in the service of the nation, not the nation serving the monarchy," Prescott said.

While money involved here isn't going straight to King Charles or Prince William, the perception left by the revelations could be damaging.

"We know it's not NHS money going directly into the coffers of the King or the Prince of Wales — there's lots of steps between — but ultimately you can make that link and that this is classed as the private income of the King and the Prince of Wales," said Prescott.

"And in the case of the Duchy of Cornwall, money is coming from public authorities, public bodies to them, ultimately. And that's not a good look. The perception can be really damaging."

The report also raises questions of transparency from the duchies, and the impact it could have on public perception.

"It's not a great look because anything that even has a wisp of not being 100 per cent transparent and publicly accessible tends to be assumed with suspicion," said Vovk.

The documentary prompted the anti-monarchy group Republic to call on the U.K. government to abolish the duchies.

"The duchies are not private property. They are state assets," Republic CEO Graham Smith said in a release.

"Parliament allowed the Royals to maintain control over these estates when other land was surrendered three centuries ago. It's time Parliament abandoned that arrangement."

Spokespeople for the duchies, the Guardian reported, said "they were commercial operations that complied with statutory requirements to disclose information."

Any change for the duchies in the near term seems unlikely. 

"Nothing will change in the immediate future. The monarchy doesn't work like that," said Prescott.

"It won't want to be seen to be responding directly to 'The Duchy Files,' as The Sunday Times have called it."

But Prescott thinks Parliament could become interested.

"They have done investigations or inquiries, as they call it, into the duchies in the past," he said.

"Perhaps one of the relevant committees may look at reopening that and looking at the issue and maybe putting forward some proposals as to reformulating the duchy or looking at the statutory basis and flushing out what they can and can't do a bit more clearly."

There is, however, further nuance to the whole issue given some of the initiatives undertaken by the duchies over the years. 

Charles, for example, as Prince of Wales, conceived, developed and built the community of Poundbury on Duchy of Cornwall land. Prince William has plans for building homes for people who are homeless on Duchy of Cornwall land.

WATCH | What Poundbury tells us about King Charles:

King Charles built this town. What it can teach us about him.

The community of Poundbury conceived, developed and built by King Charles when he was Prince of Wales has been subject to both praise and ridicule. But the people who live there and embrace its goals of sustainability and social integration say it speaks to the character of the man about to be crowned.

"I think you also have to strike the right balance because of course something like Poundbury has been a really interesting and good development and … the Duchy of Cornwall wants to do similar [things] in other parts of the country, and in the U.K. we have a massive housing crisis," said Prescott.

"The duchies could be formulated in a way that allows those sorts of things to carry on, it seems to me, with a bit of creativity."

Out and about — or not

King Charles and Catherine, Princess of Wales, were there, but Queen Camilla wasn't.

Events around Remembrance Day are some of the most important and high-profile occasions on the royal calendar.

And given health concerns for several members of the Royal Family this year, there has been added focus on their attendance at such events.

Catherine, who was out of the public eye as she underwent treatment for cancer, continued her gradual return to official duties with appearances at the Festival of Remembrance on Saturday, along with the service at the cenotaph in London on Sunday.

King Charles, who has also been receiving treatment for cancer, was also at both events.

But Camilla, who has been recovering from a chest infection, missed both. 

She did appear at two receptions this week, but stayed home as King Charles attended the premiere of Gladiator II and marked his 76th birthday on Thursday by opening two food hubs.

Catherine's return is expected to continue with her annual Christmas carol service early next month.

The Princess of Wales will host her fourth Together at Christmas service at Westminster Abbey in London on Dec. 6. 

In the focus of the service, there is an echo of what Prince William said as he spoke with reporters in South Africa.

"This year's service provides a moment to reflect upon the importance of love and empathy, and how much we need each other, especially in the most difficult times of our lives," Kensington Palace said in a release.

"The service will shine a light on individuals from all over the U.K. who have shown love, kindness and empathy towards others in their communities."

Royally quotable

"Charlotte didn't like it the first time. I got floods of tears the first time I grew a beard, so I had to shave it off. And then I grew it back. I thought, hang on a second, and I convinced her it was going to be OK."

— Prince William, in an interview at the end of his trip to South Africa, on his daughter's reaction to his beard.

Royal reads 

1. All the newest town councillors in Dawson City, Yukon, have refused to do something that's required under territorial legislation: swear an oath of allegiance to the King. [CBC]

2. Diplomats are counting on King Charles to become a "key asset" in forging a positive relationship with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump after the U.K. government found itself on the back foot. [Daily Mail]

3. Prince Andrew has been cut off financially by his brother King Charles, according to an updated royal biography. The decision would mean that Andrew would have to find his own way of paying the upkeep and security of Royal Lodge, a 19th-century listed building where he lives in Windsor. Further reports suggest Andrew has found funding sources that would allow him to remain living there. [BBC, Daily Mail]

4. The final entry in the late Queen Elizabeth's diary, written just two days before her death, has been unearthed. [The Independent]

5. Prince Harry has told bereaved military children he understands "perhaps more than most, the weight of losing a parent at a young age." [BBC]

6. A "very rare" slice of wedding cake from the marriage of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip sold at auction for £2,200 ($3,960 Cdn). [BBC]

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