Prince William Sees King Charles III's Reign as Transitional Phase, Focused on His Role as Heir
Prince William's contrasting views with King Charles III reveal a transitional period in the monarchy, asserts royal expert Omid Scobie The future king is seemingly focused on his role as heir, indicating potential shifts in the monarchy's direction
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According to royal expert Omid Scobie, Prince William's difficulties with Prince Harry are a well-known issue, but he also asserts that the Prince of Wales is not aligned with King Charles III.
Excerpts from journalist Scobie's new book, Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy’s Fight for Survival, and an interview with London’s The Times indicate that a 41-year-old William is focused on being an heir, leading to a growing separation from his father, Charles. According to Scobie, William is aware that his father's reign is temporary, and is adjusting his behavior accordingly. Following Queen Elizabeth II’s death at age 96 in September 2022, Charles ascended to the throne and celebrated with a coronation ceremony in May, attended by both William and Harry, 39. (The Duke of Sussex left London immediately after the ceremony to return to California and celebrate son Archie’s birthday with wife Meghan Markle.)
During the first year of Charles' reign, Scobie observed that the two have become even more distant.
"It would have been ideal if they had collaborated on certain projects in the early years to present a united front, but instead they are all working separately," Scobie commented to The Times.
Alternate experts, such as Christopher Andersen, have asserted the contrary. In an exclusive interview with We in July, Andersen stated, "They've had to present a united front against Harry and Meghan. They've been disrespected by their own family members. It's been a tough experience for them, and I believe they closed ranks to protect themselves. They've emerged from that with a stronger bond."
But, according to Scobie, the men don't usually agree. One of the points of contention is how they handle Harry.
During a CBS interview in March 2021, Meghan and Harry made shocking allegations that a member of the royal family had expressed concerns about the potential skin color of their son Archie prior to his birth. Following this, Charles discussed the matter with the couple and they reached an agreement that it would not be addressed in Harry's book "Spare" or the Netflix docuseries "Harry & Meghan."
According to Scobie, "The fact that [Charles] engaged in a conversation about it shows a lot more of a willingness to take some of these issues on than Prince William, for example, who has completely avoided talking to his brother whatsoever."
The author also claimed that William, whom he described as "hot-headed," is "becoming more and more at ease with the Palace's underhanded tactics and the courtiers who come up with them," and has relied on his aides and allies in the U.K. press to portray Harry in a negative light over time.
"What many people don't realize, or what those in our industry have known but opted not to reveal, is the extent of William's involvement in the negative portrayal of his own brother," Scobie alleged.
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New revelations from Endgame suggest that William believes Harry has been influenced by a group of therapists, causing him to no longer recognize his own brother. The book is set to be released on Tuesday, November 28.
