Prince William has had a tough year, contending with the health crises of two of the closest people to him: his wife, Kate Middleton, and his father, King Charles. Both royals were diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, and while William has stepped into caregiving mode, it seems he’s also started thinking about the changes he’s going to make when he’s crowned King of England. Although this hasn’t gone unnoticed by the King, and it’s reportedly causing “tension” between the father-son duo. Keep reading for more information.
William Speaks Of Changes He'll Make When He's King
Prince William was recently in South Africa for the Earthshot Prize and spoke to a journalist there about his plans for the royal family when he becomes king. "To give you more of an understanding around it, I'm doing it with maybe a smaller 'r' in the royal if you like," he explained. "So it's more about impact, philanthropy, collaboration, convening, and helping people."
"I'm also going to throw empathy in there as well," he continued. "Because I really care about what I do. It helps impact people's lives and I think we could do with some more empathetic leadership around the world. So that's what I'm trying to bring, that's what Catherine is trying to bring as well."
Tension Between Father And Son
While his plans sound well and good, it's more about what he didn't say that might be causing some tension. "Charles has wanted to be the monarch for decades," a source told US Weekly. "Even though he’s battling cancer, he’s not letting that get in the way of his desire to be successful on the throne or a dynamic leader."
However, while William is doing his best to be there for his father during this difficult time, he's clearly giving some thought to what will happen when his father passes, namely, he'll be crowned king.
"The dynamics have shifted," the source explained. The topic of Charles' succession is not an easy topic to speak about for the royals. "It's a sensitive topic and there's occasional tension." The source also noted that when they do speak about the transition of power, it's spoken about with "discretion and purpose."
It seems that Charles being diagnosed in February is what prompted these discussions: "The Palace sprung into action. William and his team have agreed on what they will focus on at the start of his reign." However, we won't be hearing much about it, though, because according to palace insiders, "He does not feel comfortable speaking [about it] at length, so nothing more than is needed is brought up to him."
