Prince William is shifting his energies into something more productive as he deals with the harsh reality of his destined role in the royal family.

Royal sources have revealed that the Prince of Wales is “quietly” being prepared for his role as the future king but currently he is focussed on a bigger task to deal with in the reign of his father, King Charles.

It has only been three years into Charles’ ‘Carolean era’ but already so much has happened. Charles, the longest-serving monarch-in-waiting in British history, was diagnosed with cancer just two years into his reign.

Despite his health, Charles has continued to take on major royal tours and engagements, William had to still step in to fill in the gaps for his father. Moreover, Charles’ tenure is already clouded with headlines about family rifts especially as he remains estranged from his younger son, Prince Harry, and the bitter ties with his disgraced brother, Prince Andrew.

“There is an overhang in the way we see Charles’ reign,” Ed Owens, a royal historian told The New York Times. “It hasn’t really gotten going, nor are we sure how long it will last.”

During this time, William is putting the work into establishing himself in more media-friendly role and taking on duties for the sake of improving the image of the monarchy.

“William has sometimes been seen as work-shy, but we see him gravitating toward bigger, more media-friendly events,” Owens said. “He’s burnishing his reputation as a statesman.”

Apart from that, he is also working to tackle homelessness in six cities across Britain and Northern Ireland with his initiative. And like his father, he is continuing efforts to achieve net-zero targets amid climate change.

While much is left to be done, Owens pointed out that “William does not want, at least for now, is his father’s. But fears over the king’s health have made talk of succession inescapable”.