King Charles was reportedly worried about the future of the monarchy before the birth of Prince George.
As per a new report, then-Prince Charles feared that if Prince William and Kate Middleton’s first child had been a girl, it could affect royal traditions and the family name.
According to the book Power and the Palaceby Valentine Row, Charles asked detailed questions about the proposed succession changes.
Radar Online reported that at the time Charles was worried about the proposed Succession to the Crown Bill, which would end the long-standing tradition of giving preference to male heirs.
"Charles is known for thinking deeply about the monarchy's long-term survival. When William and Kate announced their first pregnancy, it set off real anxiety for him,” a royal source revealed.
They added, “He wasn't being sexist – he was thinking about symbolism, lineage, and what it could mean if the traditional royal structures were suddenly rewritten. He was terrified the monarchy could lose its identity."
The author revealed that Charles invited Richard Heaton, then Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office, to Clarence House to talk about the royal charities’ connections with the government.
However, the meeting took an unexpected turn when Charles started asking detailed questions about the proposed succession reforms.
"He was genuinely worried about how a name change might look. The Windsors are central to the monarchy's identity – that's the brand, so to speak,” another palace insider said.
“Charles feared that if the name shifted, it might weaken the royal image or confuse its continuity."