Amidst King Charles III's grave health diagnosis and concerns over Prince William's temperament and personal scandals, the future of the British monarchy hangs in balance. Insiders reveal deep-rooted tensions and the potential impact on William's ascension to the throne.
In his 2023 memoir, "Spare," Prince Harry detailed an incident in which he claims his older brother angrily shoved him to the ground during a shouting match, while Robert Lacey's royal biography "Battle of Brothers" recounts some of Prince William's rage-fueled tantrums, writing that when Queen Camilla married into the royal family, she was "horrified at the ranting and raving that William unleashed on occasion."
This is hardly behavior appropriate for a modern monarchy. King Charles III, 75, is said to be putting his affairs in order after being diagnosed with cancer in February, and he is concerned about passing the crown to Prince William.
The situation has become even more urgent, with Star Magazine reporting that the monarch's health problems are worse than the palace has previously stated. "His diagnosis is known to be an open secret among royal staffers," a source close to the situation claimed. "The word is Charles has pancreatic cancer and has been given two years to live."
As King Charles worries about the future of the crown, sources say he is concerned about Prince William's fitness due to his elder son's drinking and the renewed speculation surrounding the Prince of Wales' alleged 2019 affair with family friend Rose Hanbury.
According to a second source, courtiers suspect King Charles has told the 41-year-old that he does not believe he is fit to rule and that he cannot truly be king until he proves himself capable.
“Charles knows the pressures of being the monarch,” says the source, “and he just isn’t sure William is ready to take his place. It seems premature, and there could be consequences.”
Health Challenges in the Early Reign of King Charles III
Things were different for King Charles. His mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died in 2022 at the age of 96 after serving for 70 years, the longest reign in British history, while her heir, King Charles, had been waiting in the wings for decades.
“Charles must be angry and heartbroken that he’s been hit with this health setback just months after his coronation,” says the second source. Now his illness will likely prevent the environmentally minded king from making his mark. Says the first insider, “It’s a tragedy that Charles won’t be able to follow in his mother’s footsteps of leaving a lasting legacy.”
Still, King Charles refuses to give up. "He's willing to try any treatment to extend his life by a few years at least," says the second source, adding that His Majesty is also trying to maintain appearances "not only to squash the wild conspiracy theories and false reports of his death," but also to assure people that he can still perform his duties as king. "The question is," says the source, "for how long?"
Royal Rifts: Temperament and Tensions in the House of Windsor
In an unexpected twist, he is now concerned that Prince William, who has been groomed since childhood to take his place, may lack the temperament required to ascend to the throne. He is not alone. In "Battle of Brothers," Lacey wrote that Queen Camilla, 76, told friends, "the boy's got a temper!"" after witnessing vicious arguments between father and son in which "William did the shouting and Charles submitted meekly."
Daily Express reported Lacey also claimed that "all hell broke loose" following Princess Diana's infamous 1995 Panorama interview, with William losing his cool and pushing his mother away when she attempted to console him. "Diana was getting a taste of how Prince William's intensity could lead to his notorious rages," he wrote in his book.
Then there is his estranged brother, Prince Harry. "Word is, the altercation Harry mentioned in Spare was not the first to happen," says the second source. In his memoir, Prince Harry described arguing with his older brother about Harry's wife, Meghan Markle, during their 2019 fight.
“William grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor,” he wrote. “I landed on the dog’s bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me,” he wrote. Confirms the source, “There was a growing rivalry between William and Harry ever since they were little and sometimes things got heated between them.”
Royal Concerns: Navigating Scandal and Expectations in Prince William's Public and Private Life
The king is also embarrassed by rumors of an affair between Prince William and Rose. Whispers resurfaced in recent weeks following Princess Kate's planned abdominal surgery on January 16. As the 42-year-old remained out of the public eye in the months that followed, speculation grew that her health issues were more serious than previously revealed, and that she and Prince William were divorcing due to an affair with Rose. Business Insider reported that, in mid-March, Rose, through her lawyers, said that the rumors "are completely false."
King Charles is concerned about Prince William repeating his mistakes. After all, his affair with Camilla during his marriage to Diana nearly destabilized the royal household. According to the source, "It's a very awkward situation." He's also not happy with William's carousing. Despite being nicknamed "One-Pint Willy" by his cousin-in-law Mike Tindall, the royal, who enjoys a "silent, but deadly" Kamikaze cocktail, has a habit of letting loose with friends and having a few drinks, which is not permitted for the King of England.
In July, for example, Prince William was spotted dancing with a beer in hand at the London club KOKO with no Princess Kate in sight, and a 2021 report said he would down beers after work and "several glasses of wine with dinner" and "wake up crabby." According to the source, "Charles has counseled him that there can be no more carefree outings to the pub anymore."
Challenges Ahead: Prince William's Struggle with Rumors and Royal Expectations
Prince William's tenure as monarch-in-waiting is off to a bad start. The second source expresses frustration with the widespread rumors about Kate's health and dislikes that his estrangement from Prince Harry is still making headlines.
“William does a very good job putting on a smile and calm face in public, but it does bother him,” says the source. “The feeling is that the current climate surrounding the monarchy has already cast a long shadow on his future as king.”
Business Times has reached out to King Charles and Prince William for comments. We cannot independently verify these claims as of this writing. So, devoted followers of the royal family should take all these speculations with a grain of salt until everything is proven true and correct.
