Kensington Palace issues statement on Prince William's new royal role

Prince William signaled a major shift in his royal role as he showcased growing confidence and comfort while performing a key royal duty at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, May 13.

The future King appears relaxed and in his element as he bestowed honour on British Olympic hero Keely Hodgkinson at Windsor Castle.

Hodgkinson received her MBE from William for her outstanding performance in athletics in recent years. She won gold in the women's 800m at the Paris Olympics last year.

The Prince and Princess of Wales shared the stunning photos from the heartwarming ceremony on their official Instagram.

In the pictures, William is seen exuding confidence and calmness as he marked a noticeable shift from his demeanor in earlier engagements. 

The Palace wrote alongside the photos: "Congratulations to everyone receiving awards at Windsor today. Your dedication, service, and achievements have made a lasting impact. This is a well-deserved celebration of all you've accomplished ."

Hodgkinson was named on the New Year's Honours list. She became the first British track and field star to win Olympic gold since Sir Mo Farah in 2016.

The athletes won silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics. She had also defended her European title during what was an astonishing year for her career. She became just the third British woman to claim the 800m Olympic title after Ann Packer and Kelly Holmes.