LMAO at this People Magazine cover. Oh my God. My first thought was “how old is this photo of Prince William?!” But I don’t think that’s the case – this is a recent photo of Will, I’m sure, and People Mag just Photoshopped the crap out of him to make him look more Disney-prince-ish. The Photoshopped his hair and gave him a hilarious CGI toupee. They also ‘shopped his eyes too? It’s so weird. Anyway, Prince William is no longer Workshy Will. That’s the point of this week’s cover story. Keen Willy is super-keen to be King Willy, which is why we’re getting this soft-focus crap about how the Queen has been giving him, like, monarch lessons.
Prince William has been a monarch-in-training all his life — with his grandmother as the ultimate mentor. Queen Elizabeth, 91, has been gently guiding him along the path to the throne as he prepares for the day when he will follow her and his father, Prince Charles.
“There has always been a special closeness between William and the Queen, and she has taken a particular interest in him,” Robert Lacey, historian and consultant to the hit Netflix series The Crown, tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story.
“It’s no secret that she and Charles have had a prickly relationship at times,” Lacey adds. “When William became a teenager, she would have him at Windsor Castle and would open the state boxes and guide him through the papers. It was William’s constitutional education.”
For his part, William, 35, has called his granny “the best role model I could have,” telling the BBC last year that her input is “more of a soft influencing, modest kind of guidance. I don’t think she believes too heavily in instruction. My grandmother takes more of a passive role in how she believes her role should be,” he added. “She’s above politics.”
Some insiders believe that William may well accompany his grandmother for royal duties more often now that her husband Prince Philip, 96, has retired from public duty. Of course, William — who is currently expecting his third child with wife Princess Kate — will be a very different monarch from the record-setting Elizabeth. “He will be more accessible — he has to be for a modern age,” says Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chef of Majesty. “More of a movie star and less of the mystique.”
None of this is new information for even casual royal-watchers, but it’s interesting from a media-analysis point of view. Why now? Why are we talking about William and his embrace of royal duties right at this moment? All year, William and Kate were building up to this moment, the start of autumn, when George would be in big-boy school and Will and Kate would be “full time” in London, and they would both really get to work. William has been “keen” to add more to his schedule – although to be fair, his schedule is still shockingly light – but Kate found the perfect excuse to not take on a heavier schedule: a third pregnancy. So I’m guessing that the new program out of Kensington Palace’s media outfit is that it’s all about William right now. William is being rebranded, and that starts with reminding everyone that he will be king one day. And when that day comes… will he have the support of his people? Or will they already be “over” his Normal Bloke fetish?
PS… It literally took me this long to come up with another theory: William knows his brother is about to get a hell of a lot of attention with an engagement announcement. William wants to make sure no one forgets about him and how he’ll be king!
Photos courtesy of WENN, cover courtesy of People.
“More of a soft influencing, modest kind of guidance. I don’t think she believes too heavily in instruction. I like her more than I like my dad because sometimes he says I should DO MORE WORK. THE HORROR.”
There, fixed it for you, Bill.
Why would they photoshop his baldness?! He’s bald. We all know that. Oh my !
Same reason women are photoshopped, I suppose.
Just rolled my eyes at the last part. Much like I roll my eyes at the “competition” between Kate and Meghan. There’s not much behind Will and Harry having competition. If anything they seem to have a good relationship. We all know the royal baby will trump the engagement news once he or she is born.
And it’s obvious Will prefers his grandmother. This has been known for ages. I think both boys do but it’s more apparent with Will. From all stories the Queen prefers them as well.
Some people want drama even in places where none exists.
No. Everything Kate & Will does must be in some way evil and to spite Meghan and Harry.
Just like Kate getting pregnant is an excuse to get out of work. Not, I don’t know, actually wanting a third child or something like that.
Because…that’s logical. Having another child to not do work, when she could just continue to do what she does anyway, NOT DO WORK, without being pregnant.
Whatever Will. It’s always about you and what you want.
Anyway grandparents generally (I heard) are on their grandkids’ side more. So this gossip is not a stretch.
From the nose up that cover photo doesn’t even look like him, I can’t stop laughing. Way to overdo the ‘shop job, People.
Can we stop saying that pregnancy is just an excuse not to work? That attitude hurts real, non-Princess women. Pregnancy can be a hell of a lot work, especially HG pregnancies. I had people at my own job make rude comments about my 5 week maternity leave. There is absolutely no reason to believe this woman does not genuinely wish to have three children.
Exactly. This attitude towards pregnancy is why women frequently get pushed out of better jobs or don’t get hired for certain positions.
Even in Kate’s case, I don’t think being so sick that she could possibly need to receive IV fluids is preferable over shaking a few hands.
You had to defend a measly 5 week maternity leave?! I hope I’m misunderstanding you because if you did, that makes me sad. 🙁
I’m sorry you had to go through that.
I think Kate genuinely wanted another child. I also think Kate does not particularly like royal work. I don’t think the two need to be conflated.
She wanted another child and this is about the time a lot of people have other children. She also gets sick during her pregnancies which means she won’t be out much at least early on. She’ll take some time off when she does have the baby. Also normal.
Problem with me is she doesn’t do a whole lot to take time from. So there’s my issue with her. She’s never really carried her weight in the family — ever seen her cut a ribbon? I think she might have once. However, her husband and Harry really do seem to be picking up the mantle this autumn, and that I’m glad to see.
I feel so bad that you only get 5 weeks, and that you have to defend it at that. I remember at 5 weeks after all I could do was sleep every moment I could snatch. There’s no way I could have worked. We get a year here.
It’s craptastic that you had to defend such a short maternity leave, but for Kate, a woman constantly “keen” to do things who then never does them, it does seem super-convenient. I’ve had three kids, so I know pregnancy is its own work, but with all the help in the world, between her pregnancies and births, she does almost nothing at all. That’s what we’re noting.
Thank you. This. The idea that her pregnancy (especially an HG pregnancy) is just an excuse not to work is ridiculous.
It does seem like they are trying remind everyone that William has been in training for many years and in line to succession. Is it because Charles, and Camilla, took a beating in their popularity with all of the recent Diana specials? They say their poll numbers really went down, not just based on negative comments on the DM.
I love the way the article just totally ignores Charles, LOL! BTW, last week Charles officially became the longest Prince of Wales aka Monarch in Waiting — surpassing Edward VII, eldest son of Queen Victoria. Charles has been waiting to be King for 59 years, one month and 15 days as of September 12.
https://www.inquisitr.com/4491522/prince-charles-sets-new-record-for-royal-family-officially-becomes-longest-reigning-prince-of-wales/
I don’t see Charles stepping aside for Wills barring an unforeseen health crisis. And at this point, Her Majesty isn’t going to vacate the throne anytime soon.
Goodness. I remember the “50 and still a Prince” headlines nearly 20 years ago for Charlie.
I’m half-convinced that old battleaxe will bury us all, anyway. She doesn’t seem to want to go anywhere anytime soon.
Sorry, you will NEVER be interesting. The Queen will be the last British monarch anyone really cares about. By the time it’s George’s turn, royalty will be a thing of the past.
@Brittney B. – I harbor a similar suspicion re the Queen and the monarchy, because the ever increasing tension between the need to seem ordinary and democratic, while claiming the privileges of inherent “specialness” will inevitably bring people to the same conclusion: the two things are incompatible and one has to go.
However, until then, I plan to enjoy the show.
Exactly. If Wills and Harry want to be so “normal,” then let them go out and find a job, work 9 to 5 or more, buy their own houses, pay for their own cars and also their own security, just like other celebrities.
He has NO idea what it is to be normal.
@Sarah
William and Harry think they want to be normal but they don’t. They just need a reality check and they’ll let go all this ‘I want to be normal’ stuff go away. When the Obamas say they want to go back to normal it’s genuine because they actually lived normal adult lives before moving to the White House. I was hoping Harry would marry someone who could get him to rise to the occasion but I don’t think Meghan will do that either. She seems to be on the whole ‘girl next door’ wagon as well. William needed a Jackie Kennedy and Harry needs a Michelle Obama.
So many things. Let me start: one off, I had to look up two words in the dictionary: prickly and toupee, LOL!!!! Now, in random order:
1. Bill the Ordinary’s relationship with is father is prickly. Yes, it is. Mostly if not only for the impact Keen Will’s parents’ relationships have had on him.
2. HM Queen Elisabeth II had and still has interest in him as second in line, not only as one of her grandchildren.
3. I don’t believe the story about his preparation for becoming King. Constitutional matters and such. Does he have the capacity to study complex politics, governance and international relations subjects? Has he used his Geography degree? Money spent for nothing. Has he completed his bespoke course in agriculture at Cambridge University? Not that I know of but please correct me if I am wrong. But he worked part-time and again part-time as co-pilot as a hobby or maybe PR.
4. The private secretary as I don’t remember her title but I think her name is Catherine, has started her job. Haven’t I read about two I think events that Bill Middleton has been on in the past few days?
5. No shade on women choosing to have x number of children or having health problems with their pregnancies but more than 6 years after getting married, Keen Kate kannot keep a straight face or speak freely. Nor do an a 2-hour weekly public engagement. Wife of, probably, the future King of the UK. A woman with private education plus a top university degree from a middle-class family in the UK.
Harry the Innocent to be King. And Meghan Markle Queen Consort.
Bill Middleton. I can’t!
One of the reasons I think he has a prickly relationship with his father is that Diana confided in him a lot, about troubles in her marriage, she turned William against his father. Harry not so much, he wasn’t going to be the future king. And I think William still holds a grudge.
And according to reports, the Queen mother lavished attention on Charles when he was young, not so much his brothers and sister.
I was coming here to say the same thing. I remember reading that Diana told William about the marital problems. It’s too much for a child to handle and of course he blamed his father when she was so fragile. Then she died and his feeling were probably cemented.
I’m pretty sure all the normal life stuff was from Diana as well. Both he and Harry say it so it seems odd that people only have a problem with Will saying it.
Maybe the reason Prince William and his father don’t get along is because Prince Charles sucks at being a dad. William has his skull cracked open by a golf club and instead of staying with his son after surgery he decides to take in a play or whatever…it takes effort to be a good husband and father, Charles seems to lack the motivation to do either very well. Not a fan.
And William ditches his kids on Easter to go to an ex girlfriend’s wedding. So William really can’t pretend he is the most attentive father himself.
Also, parents make mistakes and adult children need to get over the minor things. (obviously sexual and physical abuse – which never happened in this case – is something that people don’t get over)
Harry has survived with the reputation he has because the focus hasn’t been on him.
He cheated his way through school – this isn’t a secret.
He spent most of his twenties drunk and shagging anything with a pulse – and not treating them very well.
HE ALSO DRESSED UP AS A NAZI.
Are you going to bring that up on every article about Harry?
The cover!!!! He got the magic Disney prince Photoshop special for sure!!! Did he make a stop at the Bibbitti Boppotti Boutique first? I can’t stop looking at it and giggling.
“More of a movie star and less of the mystique.”
Isn’t that what Princess Diana was?
Prince William isn’t exactly JFK Jr (although now that I think about it he combined being a movie star-type with mystique pretty well. Then again, he was considered super-hot…that probably helps.)
@Perplexed: Spot on, and doesn’t that statement completely conflict with Harry saying that the RF don’t want to be movie stars, only a few weeks back? Their press office is either terrible at their jobs, or backing the bus over Harry again. What is Poor Jason to do??
@Perplexed
+1000. Princess Diana was perfect casting for a movie about the glamorous/wealth-driven 80s: a shy young commoner turned into a beautiful, photogenic jet-setting socialite/mommy nearly brought down, but not defeated, by the stodgy royal establishment.
JFK Jr was handsome and intelligent and the great hope (heir) of a fading political dynasty who had lost his father tragically as a young child. He was able combine movie star, accessibility and mystique at the same time.
There is no “movie star quality” or “mystique” about the Cambridges. They seem to just be “there” to occasionally stand on a balcony, go shopping (her) and complain about the unfair accident of their birth (him).
Diana was royalty at her birth-never a commoner. ok?
JFK Jr was not brilliant. It took him at least 3 tries to pass the bar exam.
The “Cambridges”-not their real last name. They are Windsors-their child is using Cambridge just for school.
Get your facts right if you are going to comment.
Oh my, that CGI toupee… I can’t be the only one who thinks he would look so, sooo much better if he just shaved his head completely and went Vin Diesel on us…
My two cents: I don’t think William really cares about competing with Harry for publicity. My guess is that, by associating him with the Queen & pushing the story of their relationship, his people are trying to improve his “workshy” image.
That magazine cover is so wrong. Everyone knows Willy lost his hair a long time ago.
As time marches on and Will and Kate’s kids grow up Harry and his family will be pushed farther away from the spotlight. When William is king I doubt Harry will be on the balcony because of the slimmed down monarchy. So I don’t think William is worried about Harry and whomever he marries. Whatever spotlight they have is temporary.
@Helen Smith – +1,000. The MM for Queen Consort crowd just don’t understand how this thing works. They would have to bypass William, George, Charlotte, and whoever that third Cambridge kid is. Ain’t gonna happen. Harry & Co. are next generation’s Andrew, Fergie, Bea, and Eugenie.
I say this all of the time. Any kids that Harry has are going to be treated the way the media treats Eugenie and Beatrice, and Harry and his future wife will be treated the way the media treats Andrew and Fergie. You can’t blame the girls for how they are treated. From most accounts, they are quite pleasant women who want to do more work, but Charles made that impossible. And wasn’t one of them mocked and called “fat” when shown in a bathing suit as a teen? Please someone familiar with the royal family and the media – explain to me how did a young teen earn and deserve that??
I know people here believe Harry and possibly MM will be the hero and heroine of the kingdom, but that isn’t going to happen. They will get very little attention, and most of it will be mocking them and their children.
I don’t think William is worried because he and Harry are not in a competition with one another. Harry and whoever he marries will be working royals, he is not trained to do anything else. Whether their kids will be working royals is debatable. If Harry has kids while the Queen is still living, she has to change the things slightly so the kids get have the HRH, the way she did for William’s children.
@Merritt – I thought William’s and Harry’s kids automatically got HRHs because they are grandchildren in the direct line of the next monarch? I thought it was the cousins like Bea’s and Eugenie’s kids who wouldn’t automatically get HRHs. Did I misunderstand?
Bea and Eugenie will be the same as Harry’s kids, no?? Second (or third, I don’t remember where Andrew fit) in line until William was born. Harry was right after William in the line of succession until George and the other kids were born.
Not sure who gets HRHs, but I do think Harry’s kids are the same as Eugenie and Bea.
I think Harry’s kids will be Lord/Lady Windsor or Lord/Lady Mountbatten-Windsor, if born while the Queen is still alive. They will be elevated to HRH Prince/Princess when Charles becomes King, much like an “Hon X” becomes “Lady X” when her Viscount father inherits his Earldom.
The Queen could put it in writing that Harry’s kids are Prince/Princess right off the bat from birth, by issuing an order. She did this for William’s kids during Kate’s 1st pregnancy. If she hadn’t, I think Charlotte would have only been Lady Charlotte and not Princess Charlotte (George automatically was an HRH Prince from birth as the direct in-line heir).
If Harry marries Meghan and their children don’t get prince/princess titles or if Harry doesn’t get a title for his wedding people are going to have a fit.
Edward’s kids aren’t prince/princess neither is Zara’s.
I’m relieved/grateful for the photoshopping…..I cannot stop being shocked at how bad he looks these days 🙁🙁🙁
Pure PR press release with nothing new to say.
I’m confused. The article says “It’s no secret that SHE and Charles have had a prickly relationship at times,” referring to the relationship between Elizabeth and Charles, not Charles and Will. Did I miss something?