Prince William is prioritizing his family during a challenging time for the British royal family.
His wife, Princess Kate, recently underwent planned surgery, and William is supporting her and managing their three children.
He is focused on providing a normal upbringing for their children while preparing his eldest son, Prince George, for his future role as king.
“I think from the start, he’s been protective of her,” reporter Robert Hardman said. “It’s the same way that [his younger brother] Prince Harry is so protective of Meghan Markle. Both of them have this sense that they have brought upon their wives a degree of attention and stress and all sorts of issues.”
“[William] feels a sense of responsibility [to protect Kate],” he said. “And right from the start, William has been absolutely adamant about family security, family privacy. It informs [everything he does]. It’s why they choose particular schools for their children. … They are very concerned that their children have as normal and as a private life as any other child. That’s the overarching thing.”
“I say this in my book, William regards raising the next monarch as one of his most important jobs,” Hardman said. “People keep saying, ‘What sort of king will William be one day?’ Well, what’s going through William’s [mind] is what sort of king is George going to be?”
“He’s thinking, ‘It’s … down to me,’” Hardman added. “’I don’t want to scare him off. I want to make him feel that this is a privilege and an honor and something you can enjoy, not a burden you run away from.’”
“They’re a really strong couple,” he said.
“They’re absolutely central to the entire royal [family]. When you look at the working royal family now, it’s pretty small. People talk about a slimmed-down monarchy. It is pretty slim. It can’t get much slimmer. And it’s quite old. The two young stars – and we say young stars – I mean, William is in his 40s now, but he’s still the young face of the monarchy. We’re not going to see their kids coming into mainstream public duties for at least another 10 years.”
Despite royal rifts, William remains dedicated to his family.
“William loves the regular kind of family life,” Hardman added. “That’s another thing I discovered. Yes, of course, he’s heir to the throne. He’s got access to all these castles, art and everything. But in a way, he’s happiest at home with his wife and kids doing the same thing other families do – kicking a ball around, going bike riding, swimming, these things. He’s a hands-on dad, and [Kate’s] a hands-on mom.”
“I think they’re a great team.”
Meanwhile, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s departure from the royal family has saddened William, but he has accepted their decision.
“[William] was very sad that it came to this,” Hardman said. “He adored his brother. I’m sure those bonds are thicker than water. But … you talk to those around him, and he’s just very sad about the whole thing. But rather like his father, he knows there’s no point in getting worked up about something you’ve got no control over.”
“Harry and Meghan … decided they were going to leave the country, they were going to pursue this new life,” he said. “Really, there was nothing he could do about it. So, he just accepts it and gets on with it.”
“It was very hurtful for William, who’s intensely private,” Hardman noted. “[But] what really hurt William is the fact that Harry … could be regaling the entire world with stories of two little boys and childhood moments that were so precious to William. Those two went through an extraordinary, difficult and tragic childhood. And it’s the fact that Harry was prepared to put this out there in the public domain. I think that’s the real source of silence.”
The family remains focused on their well-being and moving forward despite the challenges.
