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When Prince William said it’d been a “brutal” year, he meant it in more ways than one. It turns out he hasn’t just been dealing with cancer challenges… he’s been facing a TON of “tension” with his dad King Charles III!
Sources told Us Weekly on Monday that the men have been battling it out over William’s upcoming turn on the throne and the changes he plans to make to the monarchy. One source put it simply:
“The dynamics have shifted.”
Uh-oh.
Related: Queen Elizabeth Was ‘Annoyed’ At Donald Trump Over THIS ‘Hurtful’ Comment!
Here’s everything we know about this shocking inter-generational feud reportedly brewing between the two royals…
The Future King
Breaking down just what has changed, a second insider elaborated:
“Charles has wanted to be the monarch for decades. 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.”
Meanwhile, William “is preparing behind the scenes for when his ascension happens. Like his father, he takes being a success in the royal role very seriously.” But as you can imagine, this is all so complicated! The first source broke it down:
“It’s a sensitive topic, and there’s occasional tension.”
Any conversations about the switch in leadership are approached with “discretion and purpose,” the source noted. They added that the Prince of Wales is likely being briefed on things like constitutional matters, government relations, state affairs, and transitioning titles and responsibilities to prepare for the inevitable change. The source expressed:
“The royal household is refining protocols and communications strategies for a smooth transition.”
Now, this isn’t necessarily a bad sign where Charles’ cancer battle is concerned. It’s customary to start these succession plays after a royal coronation, and the 76-year-old’s ceremony occurred back in May 2023. But, with Charles’ cancer news in February, The Firm has taken it upon itself to be ready. A third source said “The Palace sprung into action,” adding that advisors’ plans for the future king have been discussed with William. The confidant shared:
“William and his team have agreed on what they will focus on at the start of his reign and funeral plans for his father.”
Already planned his funeral?! We get that it’s protocol but damn! That’s tough.
Just because William is getting ready for his new role, the third source insisted they are still tiptoeing around Charles about the matter:
“He [Charles] does not feel comfortable speaking [about it] at length, so nothing more than is needed is brought up to him.”
That said, the King has no regrets about speaking publicly about his diagnosis, they clarified:
“He didn’t want to hide something so impactful.”
We all saw what happened when Princess Catherine tried to hide her diagnosis. Honesty was certainly the better strategy!
A New Monarchy
While Charles doesn’t want to know much about his son’s time on the throne, they are reportedly bickering over what he knows of William’s plans. The father of three has been open about wanting to run the monarchy differently, with a third source describing it as him wanting to bring a “new, younger energy” to the Crown. The first source agreed, chiming in:
“Modern times call for a modern monarchy, and William has been active in getting that together.”
This means he’ll take on less patronages but be deeply involved in the causes he and Kate Middleton do care about, such as the environment, mental health, and homelessness. Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told the outlet:
“The king had a traditional approach to patronages, accumulating over 500 of them. In contrast, William is determined, as he sees it, to make a real difference and to do this in a way that will give him contemporary appeal. He and [Kate] are attached to far fewer charities but do more for the ones they have links with.”
There’s also a chance the patriarch could be put off by his offspring’s eagerness to do things his own way. Having been one to always prioritize his family life, William is planning to do just that — even when he has more responsibilities! The second source expressed:
“He puts up clear boundaries. He wants the upbringing of his children to be different from his own.”
Charles’ Last Efforts
In the meantime, Charles is eager to make his mark in the (relatively) short time he has on the throne. The second source said:
“The currency featuring Charles is not even in circulation yet. He knows he has to be dynamic in the time he has.”
This will include more travel in the coming days. The insider noted that he already started planning for an Italy trip during his recent Australia tour. The second source remarked:
“Charles is a workaholic, and the amount of work he accomplished during his recent trip to Australia was unbelievable.”
But Charles’ other approach is getting his eldest son to carry on with some of his missions when he’s gone… and, uh, that’s not going so well thus far. Fitzwilliams claimed Charles hopes Willy will take on some of his patronages, “but William is intent on being his own man.” Oof.
(c) MEGA/WENNPrincess Diana
Tension between the family members is only made worse due to the King’s reported jealousy problems! William is often compared to his beloved mother Princess Diana, who Charles was always jealous of, and his accomplishments are usually attributed to her as well. The second source believes this is part of the problem. While the father and son “are close,” they are also “rivals when it comes to work” and Charles’ envy is “similar to how he felt about Diana.” Gosh. That sux!
The first source urged that Charles “doesn’t feel sidelined” and is “more proud than anything,” but they acknowledged that His Majesty “does feel the public anticipation for William’s future role.” It doesn’t help that the public has never been so thrilled about him…
Not That Different?
On the other hand, royal author Robert Hardman argued that the men aren’t that different — there are just some generational differences that make them appear to be in conflict. The writer reflected:
“The king likes sitting there writing his letters with [Richard] Wagner playing in the background, and Prince William likes AC/DC and the Chemical Brothers. There’s just a different way of coming at it.”
Regardless, there is a divide! They both have their own teams helping them with their work, and the 42-year-old has been determined to keep his schedule “private” from his father. The second source dished:
“William is very stubborn and private. He keeps his movements and calendar away from Charles’ team to such an extent that he won’t listen to anyone or take guidance from [his father] or his team. He keeps things very locked down and separate.”
Hmm. We wonder why that is? Does he not want anyone telling him what to do — or not to do? Or is there some other motive to keep it a secret?!
The Stepmother
There’s a whole other factor weighing into this family drama too: Queen Camilla! It’s no secret by now that she and William don’t exactly get along. Plus, with her fate in the monarchy following her husband’s eventual death at stake, that also raises the tension in the palace.
The first source said she’s eager for her partner to hold onto the power as long as he can:
“She loves her responsibilities. Her whole life, she has always wanted to be queen, so she doesn’t want to let it go so fast.”
Should she be around when William takes charge, the first source noted that it’s unclear what will become of her. It’s been suggested that Charles is eager to boot Prince Andrew from the Royal Lodge so Camilla can live there, but those efforts aren’t panning out so far. Hardman believes the 77-year-old would probably “carry on with a public role but obviously within a different capacity.” The first source ominously replied:
“Camilla’s role in the monarchy may be reevaluated.”
Oof. When you say it like that, it doesn’t sound so good! And she likely won’t take the demotion well considering she’s also hesitant to pass her duties on to Kate because “they’ve always had a tense relationship,” as the first insider claimed. Jeez. Do ANY of these family members get along?!
There’s good news for Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, though: William may promote them after they’ve become more visible during Charles’ health scare.
The Sussexes
Speaking of feuds, while there’s been a “mutual desire” for Charles and Prince Harry to reconcile, it’s unlikely the next monarch will be so forgiving of his little brother and sister-in-law Meghan Markle, the first confidant said:
“William is less inclined to bring Harry back into the royal fold.”
So, don’t expect any new developments there. TBH, we kind of expected that part of this situation, at least.
So, What Now?
All of this said, there isn’t any immediate concern about Charles. He’s said to be doing well amid his cancer treatment, but the first source acknowledged, “his older age is getting to him, and he’s not snapping back as quickly as Catherine did.” They continued:
“For the most part, Charles is doing well. But there are still some concerns, and he knows his reign will be up soon.”
So those next in line are ready and waiting, the third source shared:
“William and Kate have been preparing for this for many years.”
The first confidant pointed out that Kate is “realistic and supportive of William’s future.” The third source concluded:
“They both feel comfortable stepping into greater roles — and [are confident] William can provide a modern way of ruling that everyone will see as a breath of fresh air.”
A lot of change to come, indeed…
We just hope this tension doesn’t get as bad as Harry and the rest of ’em. We’d hate Charles to be on bad terms with both his sons at the end!
Reactions?! Do you think these problems can be overcome? Sound OFF (below).
[Image via MEGA/WENN]
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