Country Life released their new issue this week, the one which was guest-edited by Prince William. This is William’s first time as guest-editor and it shows. I thought – as did many others – that there is a glaring error on the cover, but it now looks like Princess Kate was interviewed. Meanwhile, William isn’t the first royal to guest-edit this particular magazine. Both King Charles and Camilla have guest-edited Country Life in past years. And as many of us remember, the Duchess of Sussex famously guest-edited British Vogue in 2019, and the British press spent MONTHS screaming, crying and throwing up about it because it’s so dreadfully unroyal to edit a magazine. Well, this week, Republic’s Graham Smith has a different complaint: it’s bad journalism to have William guest-editing a magazine. I really appreciate how Smith stays on the Windsors’ necks.
Prince William has been accused of undermining journalistic integrity by editing a guest edition of a popular magazine. Anti-monarchy campaign group Republic has said the move is a “dishonest” PR exercise, arguing that journalists should be scrutinising the heir to the throne rather than handing him editorial control.
The Prince of Wales has spent the past six months working with weekly publication Country Life to create a 300-page commemorative issue, which will be published on Wednesday. It is not the first time a royal has edited the magazine, with William following in the footsteps of King Charles, Queen Camilla and Princess Anne.
Campaign group Republic, which calls for the monarchy to be abolished, branded William’s guest editor spot “nothing more than PR slop”. Republic CEO Graham Smith told Media Watch that the move is “a dishonest attempt to portray William as hardworking and relatable”.
He said: “William has serious questions to answer about how little he does in return for a £20 million publicly funded income, interference in public affairs, evicting and threatening with eviction tenants in Windsor and Dorset , his huge personal carbon footprint and what he knew about allegations against Andrew and since when.”
Smith said that “any journalist worthy of the title – or indeed any citizen with an ounce of concern for public life – should be asking William those questions, not handing over editorial control of their magazine”.
He pointed towards the fact that “a lot of concern” has been raised in recent years around “MPs hosting or presenting on TV and radio”, as well as former MPs interviewing UK Government ministers from their own party. Former shadow chancellor Ed Balls was accused of bias after interviewing his wife Yvette Cooper – then-Home Secretary – on Good Morning Britain in 2024. And last month, Sky News came under fire after Cooper was interviewed by Labour peer and broadcaster Ayesha Hazarika.
Smith said that “what is true for politicians is true for royals”.
He added: “There should be a chasm a mile wide between journalists and those on the public payroll, not the cosy love-in we increasingly see, which undermines the integrity and independence of our media.”
This is both valid criticism and the wrong battle in this particular instance. Like, it’s Country Life magazine, not Vanity Fair or The Economist or WSJ. Magazine. No one considers Country Life a bastion of journalistic integrity. Still, Smith’s larger point is completely valid and accurate: William continues to “go around” the mainstream press to avoid direct questions about his slumlording, his insane helicopter use, his laziness, and a million other issues. William prefers the soft focus and gentle handling of Graham Norton and Eugene Levy and Country Life. And he should absolutely be called out for it.
Take a first look at the front cover of The Prince of Wales’s Country Life and find out what’s inside https://t.co/jSSmbxjjOY
— Country Life (@Countrylifemag) November 10, 2026
Photos/screencaps courtesy of AppleTV, cover courtesy of Country Life.
Ego trip for scooter
Why is he called ‘Scooter’?
Fun fact, in British English that thing he’s using to ride in 2 of the photos above is called ‘scooter’.
Did you see the clip from the Graham Norton show with Judy Dench and Alan Cumming? They were talking about whether the royal family is less anal than they used to be, and referred back to William’s interview in a hilarious way.
I didn’t see that Leesa – were they mocking him? If so good
With the blank white background and gold letters, I first thought that the magazine cover was a mock up.
Maybe their guest editor likes the trump aesthetic.
The cover (and its subject) could not be duller.