King Charles made an insistent request for Prince William, urging him not to repeat his own mistakes – which experts say has resulted in a major shift in the Royal Family
King Charles made an emotional plea to his eldest son, Prince William, as he urged him not to follow in his footsteps when it comes to family matters.
A royal expert says King Charles’ advice shows there has been a shift in the monarchy. Over the past few years things have changed drastically for the monarchy, with Megxit, the death of both King Charles’s parents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, and then both Charles and Kate Middleton fighting their own difficult battles with cancer.
Kate Middleton bravely went public with her illness in a heartfelt video message on March 22 last year, and stepped away from royal duties to focus on her recovery. She has since made a gradual return to public duty, with her glamorous appearances being adored by the public.
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Earlier this year, the Princess of Wales said she was in remission and only this week, a positive update about Charles was shared too, saying he’s on “the better side” even as he continues his cancer treatment. After Kate’s diagnosis, Prince William took a step back to focus on his wife and his very young family, which includes Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
According to a new Channel 5 documentary, William and Catherine: Putting Family First , William’s decision was completely supported by Charles and even encouraged by him. Ingrid Seward, editor of Majesty Magazine , shared that Charles made a clear and heartfelt request of William.
She said: “Charles said to William, ‘Please don’t make the mistake that I made’ and ‘I want you to enjoy your family life’,” she shared. “And Charles was very insistent about this because he said, ‘I was so dedicated to duty, I couldn’t make way for family life in the way that I should’ve done’ and that’s what William did.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by Grant Harrold, who worked closely with Charles as his butler from 2004 to 2011. He believes the King’s shift in priorities marks a profound change in royal tradition.
“I can absolutely see that there’s been a turning point in his life that I’d never thought I’d witness,” he said. “I think for the first time ever you’ve got a King, who I think deep down if his boys need him, he would probably put them before the crown. That’s what I believe, and that’s the first time that would have ever have happened in the history of the monarchy.”
Charles and his siblings were raised mostly by nannies, whilst Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip focused on their royal responsibilities. Prince William and Harry were raised in much the same way after their Princess Diana’s death.
Prince Harry, the youngest of his family, has previously opened up about his relationship with his father in his memoir Spare, recalling how Charles distanced himself physically when they were still young. According to the Harry, Charles “stopped engaging” in rough-and-tumble play with him and William “long before we were ready”.
He wrote: “He’d been an older dad, and I’d always felt that this created problems, placed barriers between us.” Whilst Prince William might have the Kings ear, it seems Prince Harry does not, in a recent interview, Harry told the BBC that his father “won’t speak” to him due to an ongoing dispute over security, but he still hopes for reconciliation.
William & Catherine: Putting Family First airs Saturday at 7.30pm on Channel 5.
