With news that King Charles III has been diagnosed with cancer and will temporarily step back from “public-facing duties,” attention will inevitably turn to Prince William and his readiness and reported “eagerness” to one day ascend to the throne.
Such attention will come even as Buckingham Palace offered up an optimistic picture of the 75-year-old king’s condition, saying he’ll continue to “undertake state business and official paperwork” as he undergoes outpatient treatment for his cancer. The palace announced Monday that the cancer was discovered last week during surgery for an enlarged prostate, though the Daily Mail said it isn’t prostate cancer. The palace also insisted that the king remains “wholly positive” about his treatment and “looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible.”
Still, Charles’ medical issues and age will no doubt revive talk that his reign may end up being “transitional” as author Omid Scobie wrote in his 2023 book, “Endgame.” William knows this and “is acting accordingly,” a palace insider told Scobie.
“There was rarely a moment where where (Charles) stepped on his mother’s toes,” the insider said to Scobie, referring to the fact that Charles was the longest-serving heir to the throne in British history before his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died in September 2022 after a 70-year reign.
“But it’s different with William,” the insider continued. “He’s eager to establish himself as his own man . . . He’s not giving his father the same space Charles did with the Queen. There’s no time for that.”
Friends of William also told the Daily Beast that the Prince of Wales expected “to be given more influence and control” in the monarchy, as his father ages. But other sources told the Daily Beast that William’s expectations to have more control could lead to conflicts between him and his father, as the king is “allergic to anyone telling him what to do, and William is not exactly famed for his subtlety.”
Prior to Charles being sidelined by his medical issues, palace insiders had given insight into how he and William worked together as king and heir, with sources talking to the Daily Beast about their “vastly different” work styles.
Following Elizabeth’s death, Charles “hit the ground running” the Daily Mail reported. His aides told the Daily Mail that the king, who has otherwise known to enjoy good health, has “relished the challenge” and was “hugely enjoying his royal role.”
Said to be a “workaholic,” Charles went on three state visits overseas, hosted two state visits in the U.K., and conducted hundreds of public engagements — “a punishing official workload” for someone in his 70s, the Daily Mail said.
But potential conflicts with William have been noted by royal observers, even as the two have made a great effort to put in a united front. They certainly run their courts differently. The Daily Beast said that Charles is known to run “a traditional, buttoned-up operation” at Buckingham Palace, while William and Kate strive for a more “informal” culture with their staff at Kensington Palace, even encouraging the use of first names.
“William and Kate would do things like give you two weeks off if your father died, while Charles’ office has a more workaholic vibe,” a former palace told the Daily Beast.
In November, William also offered some insight into how he would do things differently than his father when he becomes king, according to the Daily Beast. He told a reporter that he essentially wants to commit himself more deeply to certain charitable causes, rather than spreading himself too “thin” with scores of patronages, as has been typical for royals who have preceded him.
As an example, William cited his involvement in the “homelessness sector,” saying: “Rather than just being patron, I want to do more, I want to actually build the homes, I want to provide them with the mental support, all the employment and the education they might need.”
Scobie’s book cited palace sources who said that William hasn’t been happy with the way the royal family has handled certain controversies in the recent past, notably its “painfully protracted management” of the sex abuse allegations against Prince Andrew and his ties to sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
William also apparently disagrees with how his father has handled the aftermath of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s 2020 exit from royal life, according to Scobie. He is determined to protect his own image from the “poor decisions” made by others — whether it is his father, his uncle, Harry or any other family member, Scobie wrote.
But for the time being, William is still the heir, which means he’ll continue to play a support role to his father, according to the Daily Beast. Friends of Charles disputed Scobie’s assertion that his and William’s courts are “hives of competing agendas about how to modernize” the monarchy, according to the Daily Beast. They also said that Charles has encouraged his son to “plough his own furrow” when it comes to deciding how he wants to manage his court and his responsibilities within “The Firm.”
Moreover, the fact that William and Kate have three children under 11 means he probably doesn’t go along with regular suggestions that Charles step down in a few years so he can have more time being king. William and Kate’s children are “very much their focus right now,” a friend of William’s told the Daily Beast. “William neither expects nor wants Charles ever to abdicate.”
Meanwhile, William has been tapped to fill in for some of his father’s public appearances as he undergoes cancer treatment, the Daily Mail said. Certainly, the king’s diagnosis poses serious questions for how the monarchy will function over the next few months, with Kate also out of commission until at least after Easter as she recovers at home from her surgery.
Ultimately, William respects his father’s “rank” as the head of family, given that the monarchy “is a hierarchical structure based on military principles,” a former Buckingham Palace staffer told The Daily Beast. That staffer also said that their different work styles and “rivalry” were ultimately “productive” rather than “destructive.”
“When push comes to shove, you have to obey orders from your superiors,” the staffer said. “That’s what William and Kate understand, and Harry and Meghan could never accept.”
