Prince Harry isn’t the only royal to open up about his life on a televised interview, as Prince William has just followed suit. Albeit, with slightly fewer bombshells dropped…
The Prince of Wales, 43, took part in a surprise interview with Schitt’s Creek star Eugene Levy on the Apple TV+ series The Reluctant Traveler, filmed at Windsor Castle. And while Prince William didn’t make any overtly inflammatory remarks about the royal family, King Charles is reportedly still upset about some of the comments he did make in it. In particular, those referencing his and Prince Harry’s childhood, as well as his future plans for the monarchy.
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Prince William Makes Remarks About His Childhood And Reshaping The Monarchy In Interview With Eugene Levy
The King is reportedly said to be so upset by the interview that he now isn’t on speaking terms with his eldest son, who is first in line to the throne. So what did Prince William actually say to have triggered such a response from the monarch?
It could have been what he said about his plans for firstborn Prince George, who is second in line to the throne, as he seemed to also bash his own childhood and the monarchy in the process. “It’s an interesting question, and it’s a big question that one. Because there are lots of things to think about with that,” Prince William said, in reference to his 12-year-old son’s future.
“But obviously, I want to create a world in which my son is proud of what we do, a world and a job that actually does impact people’s lives for the better,” he continued, adding: “I hope we don’t go back to some of the practices in the past that Harry and I had to grow up in – and I’ll do everything I can to make sure we don’t regress in that situation.” Hmm… we imagine this is the part that the King didn’t approve of!
“I think it’s safe to say that change is on my agenda,” the father-of-three continued, in reference to his vision for the monarchy when he takes the throne. “Change for good,” he continued.
He went on: “And I embrace that and I enjoy that change. I don’t fear it. That’s the bit that excites me, is the idea of being able to bring some change. Not overly radical change, but changes that I think that need to happen.”
The Prince of Wales also referenced what life was like for him and Prince Harry while their parents – King Charles and the late Princess Diana – were going through their divorce, and said: “You try and make sure you don’t do the same mistakes as your parents.” We can’t imagine the King was pleased with this remark, either!
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King Charles Reportedly Sees Prince William's Comments As 'Betrayal'
According to Rob Shuter's ShuterScoop, royal insiders claim that King Charles' relationship with his firstborn has "collapsed into silence." This means that they're not calling or texting each other, nor are they meeting up. Yikes!
"The King sees it as betrayal, not honesty," one insider reportedly said, while another added that courtiers are worried about a "full-on freeze" between father and son.
"It's not just family tension – it's about the Crown itself," they explained. Shuter claimed that a PR "peace walk" could happen in the future, but said that "the trust is shattered" for now.
Tensions Have Reportedly Been Brewing For A While
This doesn't bode well for King Charles and Prince William's relationship, which has been reportedly hanging on by a thread for quite some time. Much of their disagreements are reportedly about Prince Andrew and Prince Harry's futures in the royal family, and of course, the future of the monarchy.
"Charles believes in tradition and continuity above all, [while] William thinks many aspects of his father's approach are outdated, preferring a more modern interpretation of monarchy," an insider told The Daily Beast earlier this year.
They added: "To William, continuing to run the monarchy as though it were still an Edwardian institution feels absurd. To Charles, his son's more casual approach can feel like a lack of respect for duty and tradition."
We've also heard several reports about Prince William "trying to create issues" in the monarchy, according to royal photographer Ian Pelham Turner a few months ago. He claimed Prince William was undermining his father's authority with certain things, leaving stepmother Queen Camilla to step in and defend her husband.
