The "Impactful" Change Prince William Has Made to Royal Protocol as He "Splits" From King Charles

"It's a model you're likely to see more of," a royal source explained.

King Charles and Prince William
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Prince William has made some important changes since taking on a greater role within the Royal Family. From eliminating Queen Elizabeth's "no selfies" rule to his attempts to make the Royal Family more relatable, Prince William has started revealing what kind of king he will be. According to a new report, the Prince of Wales has even made a major change when it comes to international royal tours, in a "split" from King Charles's own protocol.

Referring to William's recent solo trip to Estonia, a source told The Sunday Times, "What you saw last week is a short, impactful trip that showcased an important issue. It's a model you're likely to see more of."

As reported by GB News, "Prince William is reshaping royal protocol with a new approach to overseas tours, opting for shorter, more impactful trips rather than traditional lengthy royal visits."

By embarking on short but meaningful visits, Prince William is demonstrating his ability to reach as many people as possible within only a short amount of time.

Prince William meets a dog in Estonia

Prince William in Estonia in March 2025.

(Image credit: Louis Wood - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

A crucial part of Prince William's visit to Estonia involved meeting British troops who are helping to defend the country's border with Russia. While visiting the "British Army's biggest operational deployment overseas," Prince William wore military uniform and climbed into a tank, via the BBC.

The Prince of Wales also enquired about the wellbeing of service personnel based on the border, asking "whether there was still a stigma when it comes to talking about mental health problems in the armed forces," the BBC reported. "It's going in the right direction," responded Amy-Jane Hale, a welfare officer.

King Charles and Prince William

Prince William is changing royal protocol.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

During his visit to Estonia, Prince William stopped by a school for young Ukrainian refugees in Tallinn to show his support. "The Ukrainian resilience is everywhere," Prince William said at the school, via the BBC. "You have a very good spirit, very good souls, it's very important."

Amy Mackelden
Weekend Editor

Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.