Last week, we discussed the revelation that Prince William has always found his father to be extremely “embarrassing.” While it was no surprise, the admission did strike me as just another story about William’s arrested development, that he still behaves like a willful, sullen teenager when he doesn’t get his way. Anyway, William’s comments were from an ITV special about Prince Charles and The Prince’s Trust which airs today. There are new quotes from the interview William did with Ant & Dec for the show – William talks about how fatherhood changed him.
A father’s plight. Prince William revealed in a recent interview with British talk show hosts Ant and Dec that becoming a father has drastically changed the way he acts and interacts with the world.
“I’m a lot more emotional than I used to be. Yeah, weirdly,” he said on the ITV documentary set to air on Monday, January 4. “I never used to really get too wound up or worried about things but now the smallest little things can get — I can feel — you well up a little bit more.”
The prince added that the thought of not being there for his children troubles him.
“You get affected by things that happen around the world or whatever a lot more, I think, as a father, just because you realize how precious life is and it puts it all in perspective, the idea of not being around to see your children grow up and stuff like that,” he said.
William and his younger brother Harry, 31, lost their own mother when they were young boys, on August 31, 1997. But Princess Diana still had a huge impact on their lives, William explained.
“From some of the earliest memories, I remember my mother and father taking us to charities and organizations and showing us, you know, what goes on,” he said. “And I think it’s seeing such a broad spectrum of life, it’s really important from a young age, to give you a bit of perspective to go, ‘You know, you don’t just live in a palace.’ It’s very important you get out and you see what goes on in the real world.”
Since I’m not a parent, I can only imagine the humility, emotion and fear that comes with parenthood. I would imagine William is being honest here – that when George and Charlotte came around, William opened up in new and emotional ways. I also think his statements are rooted in his own unhappy childhood/adolescence, and that’s one of the reasons why he’s demanding this “normal life” at Anmer Hall, and why he’s so hellbent on the kids being raised away from the spotlight. I do feel like that’s what we’re supposed to think though – “Oh, poor William who lost his mother, he should just have a normal life with his children away from the spotlight.” Maybe Poor Jason should get a raise for this one?
Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet and Kensington Palace.
Happens every time. Those little heirs change everything forever.
I can grasp what he’s saying, but William’s not very articulate. I mean we really pile on Kate, but William isn’t much better.
Anyway, this is the guy who threw tantrums over tennis matches and I forget now if those pictures of him dangerously speeding about on some toff’s estate was after a polo match or hunting, but hopefully having children has given him some perspective on his infamous surliness and temper.
In terms of giving the kids a normal childhood, Kate and William should reach out to Victoria and Daniel. They seem to be doing everything right in raising a well-adjusted royal child.
Concur – he’s not articulate and always sounds so rehearsed and scripted. Not a fan and never have been, mainly because of his behaviour as you noted. Hopefully the kids won’t inherit his personality lol.
Well, he’s not wrong. Before having kids, I could watch reports about disasters and crime and stuff like that and, while I felt bad and felt empathy, now they get me more, I think, because my first thoughts are always that a parent has lost their child, and how awful that must be, and it gets me. I felt it on an intellectual level before, and now it feels more…guttural, I should say.
But I still can’t really like William. True, he did not have much of a say in his life. But he seems to enjoy the trappings that come with it. Can’t have it both ways. You can’t hold the media at arm’s length AND get glowing coverage. You also can’t expect to get the royal treatment everywhere on Earth when you’re not royalty everywhere. I feel for him as a kid who had to deal with a ton of crap early on, but that doesn’t excuse being a brat now.
I agree. The other week, decided to rewatch Battlestar Galactica from the pilot episode. It’s been some years since I last saw it and definitely didn’t remember D’Anna and baby scene. Now that I have kids, that made me feel so sick with what was being implied, I haven’t even gone back to the rest of the series.
Yeah, I was always quite hard-nosed about tragic events before I had kids. Now, I am every charity advert’s perfect target, and every murder or child cruelty case gets me in the guts.
I have no snark. It happened to me, too. It’s not that I didn’t empathize with or care about the troubles and troubled people in the world before, but having children made those things hit me harder and more deeply than they did before. They stay with me longer, too.
The picture in the Daily Mail of a terrified 3-year-old Syrian girl putting her hands up because she thought the photographer was pointing a gun at her. It broke my heart to see how badly scared she was.
He should also find a way to provide for his discreet lifestyle from his own work.
So, I love soccer and watch every Dutch game. Two months after my kid was born I was watching a rival team’s game and they had this young kid on the field. He was 17 and not ready yet to play the full 90 minutes so he had to be pulles of in the last third of the game, but because he had been so important in the game (giving an assist and scoring the second, possibly winning goal) he kept pacing anxiously along the sidelines, covered in blankets and he was so happy when they won the game. Had me sobbing for a good 30 minutes. I don’t know if that’s because my kid or because of the extreme sleep deprivation plus hormones. It’s like my nerves are slightly frayed these days.
I suspect that poorJason is behind this attempt to portray a “warm-fuzzy” Normal Bill. I am sure poorJason’s feet are peddling under the water as fast as he can trying to resurrect this lazy disaster. Funny how Bill alludes to his parents taking him to see charities outside the Palace walls, it’s a pity he didn’t learn the lesson they were trying to teach. I do wonder sometimes, for all her faults, what Diana would have made of her son’s over-privileged, indulgent life? One thing I do know though, she would have adored those beautiful wee children they have been fortunate enough to have. Le sigh!
Yes, it does seem that #poorjason is in overdrive with the warm fuzzy story about “poor Wills”. Sorry, but it’s just more of the same old smokescreen. Evoking Diana (or his kids) at every turn is really tiresome, incredibly transparent and very disrespectful. I think Diana would be appalled with how her eldest turned out.
This is what I took from the story: my parents took the time to show me that charity is important, I am coddled but there is a world full of people with real struggle out there. My kids show me there is a world out there that includes suffering and tragedy and it makes me sad.
Missing: the impact and the action he now engages in based on those insights. I think we’re supposed to ‘get’ that he knows his charitable work is important because of the generation before and after him. But his actions don’t connect with his statements. He can still protect his kids from the spotlight and be an engaged royal making a difference.
I was thinking what you said. If he learned so
Much about not everyone living in a palace as a youngster, why doesn’t he cAre about anything but his privacy and creature comforts now? Seems the lessons were wasted on him.
Oh, good. I thought I was going to have to be the lone one unimpressed with William’s response.
I’m not sure he would have married Kate if his mum was around. He would probably be in the same predicament as Harry- no blue bloods willing to take on the job.
I hesitate to say it, Senaber, for fear of being jumped on, but I suspect you are quite right. I really don’t think that Diana would have had much time for Katy Bucket, or her thirsty family. Diana always had the reputation of being able to see through par venus and climbers. Her family is much older and “more English” than the Saxe-Coburgs. I would like to think she would have seen off the Waitys Bill came across, and have held out for someone who had a bit more gumption and work ethic, who would have challenged Bill to be more than his lazy, drag-ass self. Sadly it is all just useless conjecture, and he is what he is, not for the want of his mother trying to show him a useful life’s path, and the true meaning of noblesse oblige. That woman really knew the meaning of the phrase, if nothing else.
If Diana were around I suspect things would have gone much more differently.
Diana wanted her boys to travel for schooling. It’s been noted she wanted William in a states University.
And Diana was very good at picking out social climbers and was very aware of status and wealth. The way the Midds conducted themselves even early on in the dating years was behavior Diana imo would not have suffered.
And would William have mistreated Kate so greatly with his mother still around to set him straight? Or sought the “normal” family with his mother still alive?
Too many variables, but I do lean to a different outcome.
Diana would have chased Clairol off at the gates. I know Di had the “common touch” but she would not have wanted her sons to marry into it.
I’ve wondered if Charles has missed Diana in that respect. Having a co-parent with whom to stare down his sons when they’ve acted up. I think William would have rebelled no matter what, but maybe not to this extent and he would have had no excuse for his poor work ethic.
I don’t have an issue with what he said here.
I don’t really think his childhood was THAT terrible though. The media itself was a nuisance, but I think he did get loving moments from both parents and both parents were dedicated to the children, even if they were mired in their own baggage. Okay, maybe they weren’t the Middletons with Charles dressing up as Santa or whatever on Christmas day, but I never got the impression they were distant parents. That part of the narrative being revised to make William seem burdened is weird to me.
If only his words matched his actions.
Nailed it.
Yep!
I’ve stated this before: William, IMO, needs to find a way to allow the spotlight on his children. And no, I don’t mean it permits sick individuals (paps) hiding in garbage cans etc… attempting to get photos.
We saw how Diana reacted to sudden fame. Most agreed it was too much for one person at that time.
If William is determined to hide his children away, then suddenly as teenagers (a very challenging time for people in the ordinary world) they’re faced with the shock of trying to learn how to live within the Royal goldfish bowl, I’m concerned it’ll be too much for them and they’ll suffer adjustment disorder same as Diana.
William is best to allow the real photo journalists to check in on a regular basis with his entire family.
He forgot to say that these are the reasons why he works so hard in charitable endeavors…
Jason probably forgot to write that part down for me.
Is the Black Horse Inn (per William’s shirt CB photo) one of the charities in need? 😉
William will use the press for his ongoing games so that Inn must mean something to him. It sounds like a nice place, perhaps a little bed and breakfast in northern England? I guess this one is one for the Brits to answer. One other thing: how is it HM never really got involved with the Clydesdale breed?
Citresse: To answer your horse question, Clydesdales are draft horses; essentially working horses. They pull plows, carriages, beer trucks (hehe), etc. They are not riding horses, although they can be ridden, just not comfortably. They have enormous barrel chests; hard to get your legs around them.
The Queen’s equestrian interest is racing, hunting, jumping. I believe there was a recent picture of her riding at the age of 89! Thoroughbred breeding for racing and riding was her focus.
Yes JulieM, thanks for your answer. I love the Clydesdale breed. I just, in all my years online (well, since 1995, remember Windows95) I’ve never Surfed (there’s an online term for the oldies) upon a photo of HM with Clydesdales. You would think with all of HM’s holdings including farms, the press would’ve taken a photo of HM beside a Clydesdale by now, especially since she’ll be 90 this year. Oh well, no such luck, so far.
Can anyone tell me if it’s possible for William to remove his children from the line, but not himself? He really does speak like he hates what he has regarding his duties. And if he hates it who would want what they hate for their children? So, could he stay as heir and remove George and Charlotte? That would still give them protection, but they could have that private country life William seems to want for them.
Oh, and good timing Jason. Right after the numbers.
Its possible but not easy, it will take an Act of Parliament to change succession as its enshrined in law. And then there is the matter of the Commonwealth gov’s, i think they have to approve – they all had to approve changing the succession to include first born daughters.
I still think he won’t see the throne, he’ll end up walking away with a nice little pension. Nothing will happen with the Buckets until Chuck takes the throne and then they will be told to step up or walk away. Or so say my tin foil tiara.
I don’t know the answer.
But I think he wouldn’t take away their succession rights, because that would make him NOT the father of the future king. I think he likes the titles and the power and influence they hold and the deference people give him because of them. Also, I think he knows it gives him power as the main influence of the future king. He wouldn’t have that if Harry became next in line.
What Betti and Anne_000 said.
In general terms, If you look at the history of England/UK, what becomes very clear is that no matter the succession laws as understood or enshrined by previous generations, IF someone wishes to step away or circumstances force them to step away, then new laws are written that allow it.
What’s even more scary is that once that action is decided, no matter how many other parliaments and Bishopries need to be consulted, the action of creating the law is very quick. The only reason the law that adds daughters to the inheritance took so long was because Kate had a boy. As much as they like to say that they didn’t know the sex of the child, i’m pretty sure the TPTB knew and that’s why the law went from full speed ahead to crawling in terms of putting it together.
The abdication took all of 2wks, including all that consultation.
HOWEVER, William isn’t the legal guardian of the children. HM is. Due to that, he can’t take them out unless she consents. The optics will look bad if he removes himself and leaves the children, so I can see a scenerio where they give consent behind the scenes, and then publicly make it look like it was William’s decision as well.
Wow! Thanks ladies.
I didn’t think it would be easy, but maybe more of a timing issue.
Regarding boys/girls. I remember how quickly the talk of gender 1st born was settled. They imo absolutely knew the gender. Just were not telling the public.
And I do think he enjoys the perks of heir to heir. Whe it’s his time though, will he be ready? You can’t ignore those duties and fumble greatly in public with greater backlash. I think he might quietly walk away, but that could be well into his laterlife.
This little corner of history unfolding is so interesting imo. To view how it unfolds vs how it’s recalled. True with most things.
1 thing feels certain. If the children are to keep in the line they need to be exposed gradually. To be hidden away playing a life that will offer them no balance in their future seems very unfair to them. IMO anyway.
I am a parent of two, my mom died when I was 10 and my dad died when I was 19 and I can tell you that I have the same fears about not being able to watch my children grow up. Now that I am a mother, I realize that there is another whole kind of relationship that I am missing out on because my mom is not here, my children do not know their grandparents, and sometimes the pain of that can bring me to my knees. So, be kind to William. He experienced a loss that many may not understand and it does not get better – you just learn to live with it.
Sorry for your losses.
Not sure anyone is raggng on William because he’s upset his mother will never know his children. I’m missing where it’s being critized.
Wow, only 32 comments. The British Royals usually generate more CB attention. Monday, monday.
I wish William would go ahead and get hair implants.
LOL then we’d have more interest on the William topics on CB!!!!
ps- and if it worked for Elton John, I suppose it could work for William. The alternative for William is to buzz cut what’s left and grow a permanent goatee. I think considering William’s height he can get away with that type of look.