How William and Kate are quietly upping their game: Couple’s stealth mission to bring sparkle back to the monarchy and ‘deliver change without being the centre of attention’

The Prince of Wales went royally off-script when he decided to promote his environmental awards on a celebrity chat show, instead of a staid social media missive or artfully directed video.

Prince William, 44, was at his witty best as he joined Cate Blanchett, Hannah Waddingham and Robert Irwin Jr on The Graham Norton Show last week, but he didn’t just discuss his work on the Earthshot Prize.

He joked about having a 12-foot-long crocodile named after him and confessed he secretly posted on Aston Villa forums, in such stark contrast to the typically buttoned-up royal engagement that the effect was immediate.

A clip from the show about his ‘fantasy’ of being a DJ despite a pre-determined destiny received 1.2million likes on Instagram as fans praised ‘down-to-earth’ William and hailed the episode as a defining ‘moment’ in royal history.

‘He’s making the Royal Family a lot more relatable and not so stuffy,’ one person wrote, while another felt the lack of titles and ‘etiquette hurdles’ was a breath of fresh air.

While appearing on Graham Norton is certainly seismic, it is only the latest example of how William and Catherine are quietly upping their game to reach a new generation of Brits as the monarchy looks to the future.

From his cameo on Eugene Levy’s Apple TV+ show The Reluctant Traveller and William’s stint as a guest editor for Country Life magazine to the princess’ dazzling night at the movies with Tom Cruise, the prince and princess are rewriting the royal rulebook one engagement at a time.

And it appears this overhaul is at least partly inspired by Sir Kevin Sinfield, after William praised the ex-rugby star’s ability to ‘show leadership that delivers the important things’ without being the ‘centre of attention’.

This move away from traditionally royal engagements can be traced back to last September, when Prince William invited Eugene Levy to Windsor Castle to film his travel comedy series, The Reluctant Traveller.

In the show, William gave the Schitt’s Creek star, 79, a tour of the castle and opened up about the ‘hardest year I’ve ever had’ over a pint, amid his father’s and wife’s cancer battles, in a rare display of emotion – especially for a member of the ‘never explain, never complain’ Firm.

After initially meeting Levy on an electric scooter, the royal also discussed other topics, including what the future of the monarchy looks like for him and how he views his responsibilities as a father.

‘I think it’s safe to say change is on my agenda,’ William told the Emmy winner. ‘Change for good. And I embrace that, and I enjoy that change – I don’t fear it.

‘That’s the bit that excites me, the idea of being able to bring some change. Not overly radical change, but changes that I think need to happen.’

Since then, one of the things that William seems determined to change is the Palace’s figurehead reputation by rolling up his sleeves and getting stuck into the work he believes in.

Earlier this month, William closed the Mall to traffic and turned it into a makeshift ‘backyard’ cricket pitch for a very special match, joined by several England and Indian legends, including homegrown test captain Joe Root, India’s former national team captains Ajinkya Rahane and Sourav Ganguly, and West Indies hero Brian Lara.

The match was designed to highlight the unifying power of sport and the forthcoming Earthshot Prize, but without the typical fanfare of curtsies, briefings and royal protocol.

Much like after his Graham Norton appearance, the Prince was comfortable sharing the spotlight and was praised for his ‘humble’ and ‘down-to-earth nature’ despite being heir to the throne of the world’s most famous monarchy.

‘They’re just beautiful people – and fun!’ gushed Tom Cruise after he was reunited with the Waleses at the London premiere of his new movie Digger last month.