Seven Ways King Charles Has Quietly Rewritten Royal Tradition Since Becoming Monarch

King Charles has long been viewed as a modern-minded monarch, and since ascending the throne in 2022, he has repeatedly shown that he is willing to depart from royal convention when he believes it makes sense.

Some of those changes have been highly visible. Others have been more subtle. But taken together, they show a sovereign who has been shaping his reign around practicality, personal preference and a more contemporary approach to monarchy.

Biographer Robert Hardman, author of The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy, has said that Charles had developed his own clear ideas long before he became king.

“He definitely had his own views on how he wanted to run the operation,” Hardman told PEOPLE. “He had his way of operating and he had his organizations and his charities, and there wasn’t a great rush to suddenly seize control.”

That outlook has been reflected in several notable decisions since the King took the throne. From the way he dresses to where he lives and how he presents the monarchy to the public, Charles has made a point of doing things differently.

1. He wore military trousers instead of traditional coronation breeches

Coronation ceremonies are among the most tradition-bound events in royal life, with customs stretching back centuries.

When Charles was crowned in 2023, he made one of his first symbolic departures from convention by choosing not to wear the silk stockings and breeches traditionally associated with monarchs at coronation ceremonies.

Instead, he wore Royal Navy trousers.

He also opted to reuse several garments made for King George VI’s coronation, a choice Buckingham Palace described as being in the spirit of sustainability and efficiency.

King Charles III at his coronation ceremony.
Credits: Ben Stansall - WPA Pool/Getty

2. He opened private Balmoral rooms to visitors

Balmoral Castle has long been one of the royal family’s most private and cherished homes.

For years, visitors were only able to view selected public areas such as the ballroom, gardens and grounds. But in April 2024, Charles allowed private rooms within the Scottish estate to be opened for tours, giving the public a rare glimpse into parts of the castle that had previously remained off-limits.

The decision gave royal watchers a new perspective on one of the monarchy’s most closely associated properties.

Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Edward, Prince Phillip, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew at Balmoral Castle in 1979.
Credits: Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty

3. He and Queen Camilla changed breakfast traditions

Royal households are known for their routines, but Charles and Camilla have also brought their own habits to the table.

According to Tom Parker Bowles in his book Cooking & The Crown, the King has moved away from the more elaborate breakfasts associated with earlier generations of the monarchy.

Rather than the traditional multi-course royal breakfast, Charles prefers a simpler morning meal. Reports say he often begins the day with dried fruit and honey, reflecting a more restrained and health-conscious approach.

The change may seem small, but it fits a broader pattern of Charles favouring a more modern and practical style of royal life.

4. He moved Christmas messages to unexpected places

Since the 1930s, the reigning monarch has delivered an annual Christmas message, usually from a royal residence.

Charles has broken that pattern more than once.

In 2023, he filmed his holiday address beside a living tree, reinforcing his long-standing interest in the natural world and environmental issues. The following year, he again stepped away from the familiar royal setting by recording the message at Fitzrovia Chapel in London.

In 2025, he repeated the departure once more, delivering the speech from the Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey.

The choice of locations suggested a monarch willing to bring fresh symbolism to one of the most familiar traditions in royal life.

King Charles during his Christmas message in 2025.
Credits: Aaron Chown -WPA Pool/Getty

5. He prayed publicly with the Pope

In October 2025, Charles took part in a historic moment by praying alongside Pope Leo in the Sistine Chapel.

It was the first time in five centuries that a British monarch had prayed publicly with a pope, making the event a remarkable milestone in relations between the Catholic Church and the Church of England.

As Supreme Governor of the Church of England, Charles has often spoken about unity, faith and dialogue. The meeting was widely seen as a meaningful step in centuries of evolving religious history.

Jamie Hawkey, a canon theologian at Westminster Abbey, described the moment as one in which long-standing barriers could be seen beginning to heal.

Pope Leo XVI and King Charles in Vatican City in 2025.
Credits: Simone Risoluti - Vatican Media viaVatican Pool/Getty

6. He revealed his personal taxes

In June 2026, Charles made another move that reflected a more open approach to monarchy by becoming the first reigning British monarch to disclose how much he had paid in personal taxes.

According to the annual Sovereign Grant Report, the King had paid $41 million (£30 million) in personal taxes since becoming monarch in 2022.

The disclosure was part of a wider effort by the Palace to improve transparency around royal finances after years of public debate about wealth, funding and the role of the monarchy in modern Britain.

For many observers, the decision marked one of the clearest signs that Charles intends to run a more accountable and publicly visible reign.

7. He chose not to move into Buckingham Palace

Another major break from tradition came with Charles and Camilla’s decision not to relocate into Buckingham Palace once its renovations are complete.

Instead, the couple will continue to live at Clarence House, their official residence since 2003.

Buckingham Palace remains one of the monarchy’s most important buildings, and it will continue to serve as a working royal residence. But Charles has made clear that he and Camilla are content to remain elsewhere, even after the extensive restoration project ends.

King Charles III in 2026 ; Buckingham Palace in 2026.
Credits: Aaron Chown / POOL / AFP via Getty; Samir Hussein/WireImage

The palace is currently undergoing a long-term renovation expected to finish in 2027. Buckingham Palace has also become part of a broader debate about public access, national heritage and the cost of maintaining historic royal properties.

In that sense, Charles’ decision reflects a balance between preserving royal tradition and adapting it to the realities of the present day.

A king willing to bend the rules

Taken individually, each of these choices may seem modest. Together, they reveal something more significant about Charles’ reign.

He has not rejected tradition outright. Instead, he has shown a willingness to update it, reshape it and, when necessary, set it aside in favour of a modern approach.

From ceremonial dress to public transparency, from historic religious moments to the question of where he lives, Charles has repeatedly signalled that his monarchy will not simply copy the one that came before it.

For a king who has spent decades preparing for the role, that may be exactly the point.