‘Tricky Family Issues’ Have Put an End to a King Charles and Prince William ‘Rivalry’: Report
Things are going great between King Charles III and Prince William. The monarch, 75, and his oldest son and heir, the Prince of Wales, 41, have moved on from any potential “rivalry” or feelings of jealousy thanks to, in large part, “ tricky family issues.” Now, more than ever, William’s happy to help out his father as much as possible. Meanwhile, the king sees his oldest son as a “useful ally.”
Any father-son ‘rivalry’ is over for King Charles and Prince William
Competitiveness between the king and heir? Not anymore. A friend of the king’s told The Sunday Times the two are done with that “chapter” of their lives.
“If there was ever a green-eyed monster or a sense of rivalry between the two, that is a chapter of the past,” they said. “The King sees his son as a useful ally on family matters. And, increasingly, in discharging the duties of nation and state.”
William became first in the royal family’s line of succession when his father took the throne upon Queen Elizabeth II’s death. Since then, he’s taken on more high-profile duties and appearances, which have ramped up since the king’s February 2024 cancer diagnosis.
“When you are monarch, you’re not counting the column inches,” they went on. “You’re thinking about performing your role for your country, not just as King Charles but as ‘the family.’”
The Daily Beast reported William knows “he’s way more popular in opinion polls than his dad.” These days, per The Sunday Times, William is careful not to overshadow his father.
In Spare, Prince Harry, 39, recounted competitiveness and jealousy between his father and older brother. He claimed the king had gotten upset when William or his wife, Kate Middleton, 42, stole the spotlight.
‘Tricky family issues’ have brought William and the king closer
So, what exactly is responsible for the turn in William and the king’s relationship? A source speaking to The Sunday Times credited “tricky family issues.” As in the drama with the Duke of Sussex and Meghan Markle.
Plus, everything with the king’s brother—and William and Harry’s uncle—Prince Andrew. The Duke of York, 64, came under scrutiny for his association with Jeffrey Epstein, the late convicted sex offender before being accused of sexual assault.
Andrew stepped back from public life following a disastrous 2019 TV interview, which is now chronicled in Netflix’s Scoop and Amazon’s upcoming A Very Royal Scandal.
Having William as a trusted confidant “has helped to ease the anxieties of the past and boost their personal and working relationships,” The Daily Beast’s Tim Teeman wrote.
That, combined with the king’s cancer diagnosis, has, per The Daily Mail, brought the two closer. “Charles might once have disliked allowing his son to be more visible in public,” the outlet wrote. “But with cancer treatment and the ever-smaller number of working royals to hand, he has been happy to change his thinking.”
“With William there to serve as a sounding board, and with his [Charles’] cancer treatment continuing, it is of little surprise that the Prince of Wales is playing a larger part in senior royal duties on behalf of and alongside his father.”
William wants ‘very much’ to be there for King Charles
“He very much wants to support his father,” a source close to the father of three told The Sunday Times. “That isn’t something new. But, of course, with everything the King is going through with his treatment, he will continue to support him as much as he can.”
Indeed, William is supporting the king, who returned to public duties in late April 2024. He already stepped in while marking the 80-year anniversary of D-Day and greeted President Joe Biden.
Ahead, William is expected to attend the annual Garter service at St. George’s Chapel on June 17, 2014. Just days later he’s expected at Royal Ascot. That’s all after William rides behind his father’s carriage during Trooping the Colour on June 15, 2024.
William will then end the month by helping out during the Emperor and Empress of Japan’s state visit. (William’s expected to greet the couple at their hotel, something he and Kate have typically done together in the past.)
