Prince William is, reportedly, the great pride of his father, Prince Charles. When the Prince of Wales talks about his son in public, it's quite evident that he has love, affection and respect towards his heir and it is a mutual feeling.
According to royal expert Katie Nicholl, Prince Charles and Prince William are on the same wavelength. Their current relationship is solid and strong and their closeness is evident in the photos that Kate Middleton took of the father and son for Christmas in 2019.
Both royals carry the same weight as future kings and it's for this reason that Prince William and Prince Charles feel more connected and closer. But it was no secret that they had plenty of differences, especially when the Duke of Cambridge was younger.
In the past, Prince William was not yet sold on his destiny to be the future king, after his father's reign. He had mixed feelings about this path and had to be guided by his father and grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, after he was allowed to experience a civilian job as an air ambulance pilot before he got married.
It was also no secret that Prince William became distant from his father. He never really understood Prince Charles, especially when his father and late mother, Princess Diana, divorced in the mid-1990s.
Royal expert Penny Junor said that the Prince of Wales, allegedly, resented his first wife for poisoning their sons' minds against him. Prince William also didn't want to particularly know about this father's relationship with Camilla, now the Duchess of Cornwall, back then.
So, as a teenager and young adult, Prince William would challenge his father in private. He used to have an image of his dad as someone cold and distant.
Over the years, however, the relationship changed between the father and son. Some say that the problems brought on by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's exit in the royal family might have even helped improve Princes Charles and William's relationship.
According to royal expert Sally Bedell, there now seems to be a "spontaneous warmth" between the future kings. Their bond is visible and they look more aligned and coordinated as future kings, especially in public.
Prince Charles, the next in line to the throne, now apparently believes that his heir will be able to success carry out his duties as future king. There is an assurance that the monarchy will continue to be in great hands.
