According to a former royal butler, King Charles III will be part of Prince William‘s eventual transition to king someday. And the new Prince of Wales has already formed a solid bedrock for his future role. Read on to learn how Charles’s reign could bridge old traditions and contemporary demands and how William could be even more of a “king for the people.”

Reluctant royal Prince William is building foundations for a modern monarchy

Queen Elizabeth reigned for 70 years and left her 73-year-old son to take over upon her death at 96. So, it seems likely that Prince William, 40, will be king for longer than his father. And he’s already started drawing a blueprint for a modern monarchy in which he’ll be a relatable leader.

William reportedly enjoys civilian life so much that he once told his friends they were lucky they wouldn’t have his future job (Vanity Fair). He was an air ambulance helicopter pilot until 2017, when he gave it up to help with royal duties. But he supposedly had a hard time coming to that decision.

A royal source said, “There was talk at the palace that the duke needed to make up his mind whether he wanted to be a pilot or a prince. I think there was a sense of frustration that he was not doing more official engagements.”

Former royal butler thinks King Charles will be a ‘a big part of’ the transition to Prince William’s reign

Former royal butler Grant Harrold told Slingo he foresees King Charles keeping with many of Queen Elizabeth’s traditions while mixing some modernity with formal protocols and etiquette of royal life. Harrold worked for Charles for seven years. And he believes that the new king will participate in the transformation of the monarchy to prepare it for William’s vision for the future.

“There’s going to be a transition before Prince William’s reign, Charles is going to be a big part of that. It’s going to be a huge change, Prince Charles will be the gap between the queen and William,” Harrold explained.

He added that William is already “changing things a lot,” noting, “The queen would never go up and hug someone, but for William and Kate this is now normal.”

King Charles could help with Prince William’s transition to a less ‘aloof’ monarchy

Harrold noted that William’s plan to change the monarchy eventually would likely have some speed bumps. “It’s not going to be easy,” he concluded. They would need to “tighten budgets” and carefully find a way to do their jobs while being mindful of how the public will perceive their activities, he explained.

“The younger royals have shown that they can’t be aloof,” Harrold said. “If they are aloof, it will not work.”

William is well-known for his friendly behavior and “can put himself in anyone’s shoes,” he added, and people like him more than Charles because he and his wife Kate Middleton “show more of their personalities.”

That’s why Harrold believes William will be a “king for the people” and strive to improve his country and world.