When Prince William is ‘flying off the handle, it is often Kate who pulls him back’

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit the London Bridge Jobcentre

I have no idea if this was Robert Lacey’s intention, but Lacey’s Battle of Brothers: William and Harry – The Inside Story of a Family in Tumult is an absolutely devastating portrait of Prince William as a wrathful, jealous, petty, controlling man who throws screaming tantrums at everyone and everything. Was Lacey truly attempting to make the case that William lacks the temperament to be king? Or is this book merely a preview of Wrathful Will’s campaign of terror when he does become king? Well, there’s another excerpt from the book and here we go:

Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, “pulls back” Prince William when he “flies off the handle”, according to a source. Kate has been credited to be a balm for Prince William’s reportedly fiery personality. Royal expert Robert Lacey sensationally claimed in his upcoming biography the Duke of Cambridge had shown quite a temper in the past. But his wife Kate has helped Prince William to calm this alleged outbursts, an insider has said.

A source told the Daily Telegraph: “When William is flying off the handle, it is often Kate who pulls him back. Sometimes William would let the press get to him. Kate would always be the one to say: ‘Let it go’.”

Mr Lacey’s book, Battle of Brothers, claims the Duke of Cambridge left Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, shocked after he lashed out at his father in front of her. The royal author wrote: “Camilla had been horrified by the ranting and raving that William could unleash on occasions against her husband — letting rip with no apparent inhibition in her presence. The rows had been earth-shattering, by her account, with William doing the shouting and Charles submitting meekly. As she’s described these distressing episodes, William would hold nothing back. He could summon up a wrath to match the importance that he attaches to his challenging role as the future king.”

The Duchess, who officially joined the Royal Family by marrying Prince Charles in 2005, opened up on this unexpected side of Prince William with close friends, according to Mr Lacey. She reportedly told them: “The boy’s got a temper!”

[From The Daily Express]

So he would scream and rant and rave at his mother… when he was only, like, 14 years old or so. And he still screams at his father, often in front of other people. And we know from years of reporting that William often flies off the handle and screams at staff. Gee, I wonder how William behaved with Harry and Meghan behind-the-scenes? My guess is that Meghan witnessed one of William’s rage-tantrums and she was deeply frightened for herself, Harry and their child. And everything that’s come out of the Sussexit just drives home the point that William views his brother as… not really a separate entity, someone with his own mind and opinions. William is still so mad that he can’t control Harry. And Meghan and Archie.

Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge speak to employers, at the London Bridge Jobcentre, in London

Prince William, Catherine, Prince Charles and his wife Britain's Camilla, during their visit to the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red and Backgrid.

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248 Responses to “When Prince William is ‘flying off the handle, it is often Kate who pulls him back’”

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  1. Eleonor says:

    “a temper” is the aristo slogan for “he is a rage monster, with a serious problem of anger menagement who needs therapy” ?

    • PEARL GREY says:

      First the infamous Tatler article depicts William as being reliant on Kingmaker Kate and obsessed with Carole Jenner, now this book is claiming Kate is his handler when he is going off the rails. There have been several recent references over the last few months of William “needing” or being “dependent” on Kate for support, advice or guidance, best of all the “Kate wears the trousers/is the dominant one in the relationship” story that grew out of Kate merely introducing herself and William on a video call. I wonder exactly what is inspiring the sudden shift from “traditional housewife Kate lets her husband lead” to “Kate is the driving force keeping her man steady”.

      • Beach Dreams says:

        Is it the book that claims Kate soothes his temper or is it a random source? The article excerpt references an anonymous source talking to the Telegraph directly so I don’t think that part has anything to do with the book. Wouldn’t be surprised if it was one of the Middletons.

      • Becks1 says:

        Good catch Beach Dreams. From this post, it sounds like the book describes his temper, and then someone probably asked the Middletons about it and got these quotes about how Kate soothes his temper (so therefore is of course indispensable.)

      • A says:

        This doesn’t make it seem like Kate is the one “wearing the pants” in their relationship at all. If anything, this just makes it seem like their marriage has incredibly strictly defined gender roles actually. Kate is the “soothing” “maternal” figure who calms her temperamental husband. That’s a trope about women and the role they play for men by coddling their feelings and excusing their poor behaviour. I read this whole bit and just felt ick. It read like a 1950s Stepford wife manual on how to do emotional labour for your husband, while smiling cheerfully as you do it.

      • Kalana says:

        Kate has always been pushed forward as keeping William steady. She was supposed to have kept him at St. Andrews when he wanted to drop out. William directs everything because of his anger and other emotions and Kate feels like she is in control because she can soothe him.

        All of this is a big switch from the narrative that William is the calm one and Harry is the one led by his emotions but that never made sense because like I pointed out there were always stories about how dependent William was on Kate to manage his issues and that William is an angry and impatient person.

        And I’m sure Kate has the same dynamic with someone else, possibly she’s overly dependent on Carole and for Carole, she has Michael Middleton smooth things over for her.

      • Itsme says:

        A, that is exactly, unfortunately, how I read it also. He is an abuser, and when he doesn’t have others to lose his sh@t on, Kate will be next in line. This is a man who has serious anger issues towards his father. He also has been exceedingly spoiled rotten both as a child and a grownup. The two do not mix.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Kate didn’t keep William at St Andrews. Charles talked with him, and William also realized that if he left school, the press protections would be removed. They got him extra protection, extra tutoring, extra coddling, gave him access to a house on Balmoral for escaping whenever he wanted. Kate had nothing to do with it.

    • Princess Peach says:

      Yea…

      I actually am beginning to feel quite sorry for Charles. Sounds scary.

      • Tessa says:

        Charles should have put his foot down early on. It is not to late to reverse Harry and family’s exile.

      • NotSoSimpleTaylor says:

        @Tessa I respectfully disagree. What would be the point of reversing the exile if William is just going reimplement it when Charles is gone anyway? The relationship between the two sounds too far gone. 1) It sounds like William has discarded Harry completely 2) Harry doesn’t seem interested in returning 3) Harry would have to divorce Meghan before I’m sure there’s even be a consideration of returning.

      • Tealie says:

        I agree William actually sounds dangerous Charles needs to watch his back and depending on him and Camillia to bring down the monarchy! 😆

      • Beach Dreams says:

        @NotSoSimpleTaylor: completely agreed. I don’t think there’s any value in Harry and Meghan returning for a part-time setup (as was originally intended) because William will do everything in his power to continue to make life in the UK miserable and dangerous for them. In fact he’d have even more sway and influence to do so, presuming that Charles gives him the POW title in a timely fashion. At the end of the day, William clearly wants to have complete control over his brother. The more the Sussexes connect with the royals, the more he’ll be able to do that. And yeah, he’d definitely want Meghan AND Archie out of the picture before wanting Harry back.

      • (TheOG) Jan90067 says:

        I dated and almost married a rage monster. Except I didn’t know he was a rage monster until almost 6 mos. in…when “company manners” were off, and he TOTALLY lost it in traffic. I had never been more scared in my life; I NEVER heard prolonged screaming and language like that! As soon as I was safely out of the car, I told him that unless he went into therapy immediately, we were done. He didn’t think anything was wrong with himself! So, I broke it off, ghosted him, and never looked back. I figured if he wanted to be that violent towards a STRANGER, God help me if that rage was ever directed at ME!

        If PWT goes ballistic with incandescent rage all the time, Kate is an idiot for letting her kids grow up seeing this, and “normalizing” it. Not just that, but that kind of screaming scares the shit out of a little kid. Then again, their homes are big enough for their nurseries to be out of his vocal range, and doesn’t seem like Daddy Dearest spends all *that* much time with them. Guess KeenFutureKween feels it’s worth putting up with. Good luck to that.

      • Jaded says:

        @(TheOG) Jan90067: I dated a rage monster too and didn’t see it for many months. Then he did the same thing, went into full tantrum mode in a traffic jam. I stayed quiet until we got to my place and he was sitting down with a drink. I then said he needed some anger management therapy to find out the genesis of his fury because I would not tolerate another outburst. He actually agreed and it turns out it was repressed anger at his father who was, guess what, a violent rage monster who beat his mother and the kids, then abandoned them when the kids were in their teens.

        Of course Kate’s going to put up with that and his philandering, she knew what she was buying into, but I would hope that if he starts blowing up at the kids like this she, at the very least, separates from him on the QT and keeps them away from him unless it’s a supervised visit with other family present.

      • Wiglet Watcher says:

        Charles might be leaking this for sure. More that comes out the more it feels a narrative is changing. From William being a well prepared future king to William being ill prepared, petulant rage monster that never matured. Like Charles is putting him in his place. Maybe even pushing William to lash out by suggesting he’s incapable of functioning without women to coddle him?

      • CuriousCole says:

        @Jaded I just realized your theory of Kate keeping the kids safe and separate from William would explain all the odd comments we’ve heard over the years about the vast time they spend apart. Perhaps she’s already moved to shield them from his temper?

      • notasugarhere says:

        W&K relationship relied on Kate going away whenever William wanted space (to bed someone else). That and him publicly complaining about her controlling manner. These are two very controlling, angry, scared, immature people who never should have married.

    • Liz version 700 says:

      Yes. Abusive is the word they are all dancing around. He is verbally abusive and a screaming monster. Good Luck England good thing he can’t still behead people. What a waste of a man. He is in a position where he could have done so much good.

      • BabsORIG says:

        I don’t think it’s “abusive” that they dancing around. I think they’re beating about the bush about him being a violent man. Abusive is mildly putting it; he seems to be a violent person towards everyone. Harry talked about the “vicious fights” they would get into in the car going to their dad’s after their parents divorced. He said they would fight viciously and nobody would be able to seperate them boys. Couple all that with William shoving his mother around and when he apologized later her thinking “the damage was irreversible”. It tells me he had been yelling and probably threatening his mother for a while but the “shoving” was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I think William is and has always been a violent person since childhood. People around him need to watch out.

      • Kalana says:

        I am not a fan of William’s at all and I don’t think anything that happened to him in his childhood justifies his behavior now.

        Regarding William shoving Diana off of him, she was trying to put her arms around him which he clearly did not want and William shoved her off of him which honestly I think is not a sign of him being violent. It’s not the best way he could have handled it but he was also a 14 year old who was being parentified and used by his mother. I think Diana not backing off, allowing William to have boundaries and getting him real help shows how much she thought of William as someone to support her.

        But William also pulled a towel off Diana and left her standing naked in front of Ken Wharfe to shame her because he thought she was flirting with the man. That is a violent thing to do. It’s interesting that Diana just giggled about that but was upset about William’s behavior after her interview.

      • Wiglet Watcher says:

        Kalana
        William has quite a few instances of showing his temper as a child, teenager and adult. Many get little coverage or downplayed.
        Fights as a child aside he throw punches in pubs or had his RPOs pull him out. The fits he was said to throw about Megan. The anger at tabloids when they turn against him. And many, many tales of his staff being berated.

        My thought is Diana knew therapy wasn’t an option for the heir at that point. So, she tried her best given the situation.
        And yeah, for William to try and shake his mother like that… he had no boundaries and that level of anger was left unchecked. At this point how do you even begin to maintain his issues given he can surround himself with placating yes men?

      • Eleonor says:

        @Kalana I never heard the towel story!

    • Ronaldinhio says:

      Interfamilial abuse is a real thing, future King or not.

  2. Chica1971 says:

    He’s unfit to be king. A rage monster taken from the bad kings playbook. William is manipulative and self absorbed. Given his mental health platform, you would think he would have had therapy by now.

    • Snuffles says:

      Will is in DESPERATE need of therapy and anger management training. But I have to wonder how much is due to his upbringing and how much is just his personality.

      • Digital Unicorn says:

        In my experience with people like this, these negative personality traits are often enabled by parental behaviour, upbringing and environment. He has been surrounded by enablers his whole life and by many reports exhibited this behaviour as a small child.

        I have no doubt the outbursts are a result of depression but I would also say that his other personality traits stem from a personality disorder – his attitude and behaviour towards others is not normal, not by any stretch.

      • Tealie says:

        100% it’s okay if he has rage issues and represses his emotions

      • Sid says:

        @Snuffles, a little bit from column A and a little bit from column B as Digital Unicorn more or less said. This all fits with the stories about his temperament as a child and the Billy the Basher nickname. So imagine a child with anger management issues who later has to deal with warring parents who sometimes put their drama ahead of your well-being, and then on top of that people around you are kissing your butt and kowtowing to you because you will be king someday. This is a not a good combination at all. And now as an adult we see him making meanspirited jokes about others, helping the tabloids harass his brother and his sister-in-law, not seeming to have much regard for his wife’s well-being, and we read all these stories about him being a pain behind the scenes. It all fits, and the picture isn’t a good one.

      • BabsORIG says:

        I probably will be bashed for this but, I have a big issue with folks blaming the parents for someone’s behaviour, temperament or personality. This is just a way to excuse (IMVHO) and try to explain away such behaviours and personalities. Harry grew up with William, same parents same inbitonment. Why isn’t he as violent as William? There are tons of people who grew up and still growing up in broken families, parents airing all laundry out for all the world.yet said people are not abusive violent people. I believe William is violent because he is a rotten to the core man, period.

      • Donna says:

        @BabsORIG, you are absolutely CORRECT! Kudos to you.

    • Snappyfish says:

      English history shows that most Kings were Rage monsters unfit. It’s a job they are born into. Fortunately the monarchy is just a figure head. However if it is the Duchess that “pulls him back” that explains her popularity in the family

      • Tessa says:

        I don’t think Kate has all that power over him. She is the dispensable one and on a whim he could ditch her for someone else.

    • Mtec says:

      But he apparently sees a psychic instead according to Tatler (I’ll never forget that detail lol). It’s interesting he and Kate talk about mental health, but never that they ever had therapy themselves. I could see William having too much pride, thinking he’s too smart for it, and not having the patience for it.

      • Lady2Lazy says:

        @ BabsORIG, I agree with you that it is not solely the fault of the parent. The problem is that when children grow up in a household where there is distinction, which 98% of the population is dysfunctional, it’s the actions of the upbringing shaping the children’s status as to what their normal is. Now, W and H grew up in the same home and both came out with two entirely personalities. One of which I think that we can clearly see that from an early age, W had issues in the very beginning. This has not an issue that he has dealt with and he clearly has no desire to change his anger management. Every one around him, due to his status I would imagine, will not force W into committing the acceptance or the realization that he desperately needs therapy. Until then, he will continue, and his power extends, will become worse. His children will suffer and carry that same dysfunctional normal for them as well!

  3. ArtHistorian says:

    I really hope that the Cambridge children haven’t witness any of these rages. That would be really scary for young children.

    • AnnaKist says:

      I was thinking the same thing, ArtHistorian. It appears he has no qualms about exploding in anger in front of others. Unless of course he’s able to control it in front of the children. Full marks if he does spare the children, but that also means he can control the rage if he chooses. I hope his wife or the staff can recognise the warning signs, and keep the children well away from him when he gets in a strop.

    • HK9 says:

      I grew up with a raging mother, so I will tell you-they’ve already been well schooled in this and at least one of those children are perfecting controlling people with rages as we speak. The damage is done.

      • Mustlovedogs says:

        @HK9 I did too. And you are correct. I have been one who will do anything to placate and soothe others ever since… It makes for a difficult childhood. Hugs to you.

    • C-Shell says:

      That is a terrifying prospect. But, William appears to have very little impulse control, so I fear there’s a strong likelihood the children have witnessed it (people often act like children are oblivious, but we know they aren’t). The best thing we can hope for is that they haven’t been his target.

      • ArtHistorian says:

        I also fear that William’s temper could become really damaging for them when they hit the teens and start becoming more independent and testing boundaries. All teenagers have conflicts with their parents but those minor conflicts can be really damaging if the parent has no impulse control in their reactions.

    • Nic919 says:

      It’s highly doubtful that George and Charlotte haven’t seen him lose his temper by now. People like that don’t control themselves in front of kids.

    • Nana says:

      It’s considered family violence and a child protection issue in the sector. Disadvantaged kids and kids from minority groups especially, have been removed for much less.

    • Tealie says:

      I have a feeling he does control his wages but is very short with the children and emotionally stunted. Even the way he carries and plays with them he does it in a very formal way if you know what I mean.

    • LittlePenguin says:

      I hope the kids haven’t seen any large temper tantrums.
      That said, people like this tend to be very good at manipulation. I would worry about then seeing that because it is such a toxic trait. And they would learn how to use it. (Which is just as dangerous)

    • February-Pisces says:

      If they haven’t yet it’s only a matter of time. William might love George but in the next ten years of so (which isn’t very long at all), George will probably turn into the teen heart throb that William once was. Then he’ll have someone new to compete with. What happens when he gets a girlfriend and she’s young and beautiful and Kate is pushing 50, she’s not gonna take it well either. I would love to say that William and Kate they are better than that, but they really aren’t. The kids might be protected from seeing the worst of their parents now, but eventually the penny will drop.

    • NotSoSimpleTaylor says:

      I think this is why Charles has always shown concern for the Cambridge children. I think he wants the kids out of there. I would uld not be surprised if he’s been angling to take custody of George. William won’t be able to do a thing about it if Charles is king first.

      • anotherlily says:

        Charles could not simply ‘take custody’ of George or any other grandchild. The monarch has, in theory, some legal guardianship, but in practical terms this is now a fantasy rather like the many fantasies about ‘protocol’ and about them all bowing and curtseying to each other.

        Legislation passed during the reign of George I known as ‘The Grand Opinion for the Prerogative Concerning the Royal Family’ gave the King control over the education and the marriage of his grandchildren. George1 I did not have a good relationship with his heir and wanted to control who was appointed as godparents for his grandchildren. A 1772 register said that the 1717 ruling meant that the monarch had the right “to the care of the marriage and education of the children of the royal family; ” Subsequent legislation over the years has defined parental responsibility and the legal rights of children and these laws cannot be set aside by the monarch.

        At most this ancient prerogative means that the Queen is consulted about the names of her grandchildren and the choice of godparents. Ideas about George or Archie or any royal child being snatched from his parents under some royal decree are just fantasy. All the minor royal grandchildren and great grandchildren have the same legal rights and legal protection as any child in the UK . They cannot be deprived of their rights by the fact that the reigning monarch is their grandparent.

  4. Imogene says:

    I mean good thing the king of england is only ceremonial because I would not want this guy in charge of anything meaningful if he were my head of government.

    • Carolind says:

      I do remember William and Kate going on a tour maybe to Australia just after the pictures or film of naked Kate had been released. I remember his fury being reported on the TV. He would not talk to or look at the press whereas Kate was OK with them and telling William to snap out of it.

      • ArtHistorian says:

        I’d say that the anger was quite justified in that case – their privacy was violated, especially Kate’s. It was gross that those pictures were published.

  5. Darla says:

    He grew up the eldest child in a highly dysfunctional family, it’s not surprising at all. I grew up the same and as the oldest, and it has taken me years of very hard work not lose my temper all the time. It still happens, but far less often. It’s work though. And the first step of course, is self-awareness. You have to know it about yourself before you can put the work in to fix it. Oh, and I want to add; you really think he doesn’t have good reason to be angry at his father??? If I were Camilla I’d just be happy if he didn’t come for me…he’s got reason to do that too. Being the oldest child of these kind of people, it does a lot of damage. He won’t put in the work to fix it, because he also has big ego issues, but Charles is not innocent in this. That’s my only point.

    • Eleonor says:

      Those boys needed therapy.
      A lot of therapy.
      And for once I give Petty Betty credit for something: her first instinct was to send them to Balmoral (?) And keep them away from the public funeral of their mother. That was the only reasonable thing done those days.

      • Becks1 says:

        They were already in Balmoral when they were told. She kept them there until shortly before the actual funeral. It’s one of the reasons supposedly why Harry doesn’t like going to Balmoral in August.

      • Jaded says:

        They were at the funeral, marching behind her casket, which I think was tantamount to torture. If it was petty Betty who mandated that they march in the funeral procession she’s more of a witch than I could imagine. If it was Charles…no wonder they don’t have a warm and fuzzy relationship with him and no wonder Wm turned out to be such a f*ck-up. That is the stuff of childhood trauma but at least Harry has faced his demons, Wm…not so much.

      • Harper says:

        I heard that they had the boys march in the procession to keep people from yelling at Charles as he went by. The boys did not want to do it, but then Phillip said he would walk with them and it was settled. Basically, the boys were used as a human shield.

      • A says:

        @Jaded, what really pisses me off about that now is how the Queen got William and Harry to do what was essentially HER job.

        SHE was the monarch. SHE was supposed to comfort her country in their grief. It doesn’t matter if she thought they were overreacting (which, fuck her for thinking that), if she thought they were too hysterically emotional and needed to get over it or whatever–these were her subjects, she is their monarch. Her JOB is to share in their mourning. They are her people, her compatriots.

        She was in a leadership position and failed to act as their leader. Because she didn’t want to. Because she thought they needed to “pull it together” or whatever the fuck else. Because SHE felt awkward in the face of their emotions. And when it came to a point where the monarchy had to display some act of human decency, she sent two sons who had just lost their mother, who had not even entered public life officially and were therefore not even equipped to manage their own emotional burdens, let alone that of their whole country/world, to do it for her.

        The person who should have walked in that procession was the Queen and Charles. The Queen is the monarch. People display their grief in public because sharing your burden collectively helps to ease the pain. It makes you feel less alone. This is part of the job description for being a monarch. It’s always stumped me how, out of all the different parts of her life where the Queen would have benefited from being selfish, she always chooses the ones that serve her the least.

    • Jessica says:

      I can personally identify with all of this and you are right. I take a very dim view of William’s treatment of Harry and Meghan, among others, but this is right. He needs to get in intensive therapy and get a grip on his rage.

    • Original Jenns says:

      In the end, though, we can only be responsible for ourselves and our actions, no matter who is “not innocent”.

    • Becks1 says:

      Yes, the first step is self-awareness, which he doesn’t have, because apparently everyone accepts his tempers and rages as par for the course and does whatever they can to prevent his rages.

      He may have reasons to be angry at his father (I notice those same reasons don’t prevent him from using his father for PR or taking his money), but as an adult, there is very little reason to fly into the kind of rages we are seeing described in this book. He’s the future future king of England. This is very concerning behavior.

    • CindyP says:

      Agree, but let’s remember that Charles grew up with a distant, neglectful mother & bullying father who sent him to a harsh, abusive boarding school. Not excusing his failures as a father but he suffered his own trauma
      Meghan & Harry have broken the cycle by escaping from these horrible people

      • ArtHistorian says:

        Didn’t jane Goodal say that Harry told her that Archie wouldn’t grow up like a royal? I bet it was the insane family dynamic within a rigid institution that he was referring to. He wasn’t going to subject his child to what he and his brother were subjected to.

    • Tessa says:

      I would say more so he’s part of a dysfunctional family. Big Time. With all the scandals in that family.

  6. The Duchess says:

    We’ve seen time and time again how he’s always “incandescent with rage”. Seems to me he has some serious anger issues that need addressing. At the end of the day, I just feel for the little kids.

  7. Snuffles says:

    Now I firmly believe that Harry has totally clocked Will’s behind on numerous occasions. He’s probably the only one in that family that doesn’t cower to William. Probably another reason they are desperate to have Harry back.

    Will is displaying Henry the 8th tendencies. If the was 200 years ago, Will would have totally had Harry beheaded.

    I also kind of believe that Charles is secretly rooting for Harry because he knows what a horror Will is.

    • equality says:

      I think that’s why Charles was willing to help them with money. I’m sure that made Will rage also. Charles probably does have a lot of guilt over things that happened in their childhood.

    • S808 says:

      It also kinda explains why he didn’t step in even though as a father, he absolutely should’ve. William’s attention and rage had other targets for once.

      • Becks1 says:

        I think this is true and I think what Myra said below about Charles treading carefully for PR reasons is also true. Charles doesn’t want William’s temper focused on him in any way shape or form, including in the press.

    • Digital Unicorn says:

      Yeah I agree that I think it was Harry who stood up to him and ‘calmed’ him, given how Kate often looks like a kicked puppy around him I don’t by she’s the one to calm him. If anything she and Chuck are now baring the brunt of his rage.

    • BnLurkN4eva says:

      Can you imagine what he would do to poor Meghan if he had even half the power of Henry VIII? I shutter to imagine what her faith would be, but then I remember if these people had even a fraction of the power they once wielded, Meghan would not have gotten anywhere near royalty to begin with, so…

  8. Seraphina says:

    I believe the rage and tantrums but Kate being the soother, not so much. This man has been told all his life that he is to rule by God given right and Lord only knows what kind of ideas Petty Betty has also mentored into his psyche. Kate goes along to get along – not rock the boat because she knows she can be replaced, just like Wills’ mother was. And the calming middle class loving family that once captured Wills’ attention will no longer hold its grasp as he gets older.
    And if Meghan did get a glimpse of what he is like, I am sure she did want to leave. Who knows what she saw, heard and learned while there.

    • equality says:

      Makes all those press stories about Kate being “horrified” that Meghan yelled at her staff look silly. And all those press stories they put out about no yelling at home with the kids.

    • Merricat says:

      Lol. That was my reaction, Seraphina. I highly doubt Kate has the power to affect William in his normal state, let alone when he’s in a towering rage.

      • Seraphina says:

        Agreed, I picture her taking the kids and getting as far away as possible. BUT she is probably used to it and thinks nothing of it by this stage of the game. She knew what he was like when she chased him for a decade. But that type of money buys escapes we can’t even dare to dream of.

      • Merricat says:

        Agreed.

      • Tessa says:

        Maybe that explains Kate seemingly not minding William’s weekends away from her and the children.

      • Becks1 says:

        @Tessa or why Kate clings to her family so much and prefers being with them, in Bucklebury or Anmer Hall.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        @Becks1 – Your comment makes the most sense of any I have ever read explaining why Kate seems to cling to her mother and Bucklebury.

      • Nic919 says:

        @becks that’s very insightful. Kate has never really been independent after marriage and since we know the Windsors are pretty repressed and messed up then it makes sense for her to go to the only place she feels safe. And it’s not with her husband.

    • Mtec says:

      It’s probably Carole who calms him. If you wanna believe the story of him laying his head on his mother-in-law’s lap from time to time.

      • Seraphina says:

        I just got a mental image of that and cheese toast being fed to him and PG watched on. Ewwwww.

    • A says:

      “Kate goes along to get along” Well yeah, but that’s exactly what the definition of “soothing your husband in his various rages” has meant. Ever since marriage has existed as an institution, women have been called upon to placate their husbands and their temper. A lot of the time, that just meant keeping quiet, tiptoeing around them to not set them off, etc, and definitely never telling them that their anger is fully unjustifiable and that they’re acting out of line.

      Which is precisely what I bet Kate does too. Kate is an enabler. She “soothes” William’s rages by enabling and validating him. She never tells him that he’s wrong, she never tells him that he’s acting poorly, etc. She coddles and enables him, allows him to vent out emotions and act in ways that no one else would put up with, and that’s exactly what William wants. That’s what he thinks being brought up in a stable, loving, middle-class household is like. To him, this is the sort of maternal affection he expects–permanent hand-holding and forgiveness when it comes to his tempers, and never being asked to be responsible for managing his own emotions.

      It’s sad in one way, because it seems to me like William is dealing with a shitton of repressed feelings about a lot of stuff in his life. Like a lot of people in that position, he thinks that the most accurate, honest way to express his emotions is by screaming at people. That there is no other way to make them understand how he feels. So he resorts to rage, because at least the rage scares people into submission, for a time. It gets him what he wants, right up until the next thing that sets him off. But I highly doubt Charles has ever actually changed his behaviour as a result of this. He’s still a distant, somewhat floundering parent, who was never there in the ways his son needed him the most. And that will never change, no matter how much Williams yells at him.

    • notasugarhere says:

      I’m not buying it either, Seraphina. Kate has been with him for twenty years, hounded, chased, and clung to him for this marriage. She wanted this. As for her soothing him? The stories of her being a meangirl, control freak, and bully pre-date William. His main complaint about her is her controlling nature. As I wrote above, these are two angry, immature people who never should have married. Carole has been the one forcing these two back together again, soothing William with the cheese-on-toast (as per the staff who leaked all the petty William and Prickly Princess Kate stories).

  9. Lyn says:

    The best thing that has happened to Harry is meeting Meghan and the subsequent dash for freedom. Because he really, really would not want to be at William’s mercy when he gains control of the Royal family’s duchies and finances. William would have made Harry, Meghan and their children grovel for every concession.

    I pity the rest of that family after the Queen and Charles are gone. Good luck with that.

  10. Sofia says:

    I understand Charles is meek and cannot stand up to his son but is he seriously that pathetic that he can’t go “Enough is enough. Either go to anger management or no ‘Prince of Wales’ title for you” or something. I also understand that William is an almost 40 year old man and you can’t make him (or any other man at that age, royal or not) do what you want but maybe it’s time someone dangled a carrot in front of him…

    Edit: Okay maybe Charles can’t say “I won’t make you PoW” because a lot of the BRF PR for keeping them around after HM is “Sure you have to deal with Charles but hey at least you get William. Besides Charles won’t last long anyways.” Charles’ reign seems to rest on the goodwill the royalists and public have towards William – which he still does despite all of this because he’s got “eldest son of Diana” halo on top of his head.

    • equality says:

      I hope the Welsh rebel against the title again like they did when Charles was given the title.

    • Becks1 says:

      I think Charles is going to hold off on the PoW title for a few years. Duke of Cornwall (where the $$ comes from) is automatic, so I think Charles will see how he handles that before investing him as PoW .

      • Sofia says:

        I hope so. I think William should at least try and “earn” the title. He’ll be “Duke of Cornwall and Cambridge” in the mean time and he’ll still inherit the Duchy money. The PoW title itself isn’t attached to any income sources so who knows, maybe William won’t care too much for it – which I honestly doubt.

      • NotSoSimpleTaylor says:

        I don’t think William will be given PoW title. I think as untraditional as it is, Charles going to attempt to pass it on to George.

        I honestly think if all of this is true, Charles may try to take over George’s upbringing if he has a chance.

      • Sofia says:

        @Taylor: I doubt it. Charles holds a pretty precarious reputation amongst the royalists/traditionalists so him trying to circumvent what’s been done for the last 800 or so years will not go down well with them – at all. @Myra said it below that the reason why Charles doesn’t deal with William is partly because he’s too scared it’ll shift public opinion against him.

        William will either get it or no-one will when Charles is King.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        The Royal Train completely went off the tracks when Christopher Geidt was forced out by Charles and Andrew. I doubt there is any hope the train will get back on the track where it needs to be because there is no one with skills and intelligence to be the conductor.

      • notasugarhere says:

        I think he’ll wait to see if the W&K marriage lasts. Neither he nor William want dueling Princess of Waes out there. If they divorce before the title is awarded, Kate keeps a version of her current title. The new wife would be HRH X Princess of Wales.

    • Myra says:

      Charles’ character, although he has achieved many great things as Prince of Wales, is more or less that of a coward. I think the fallout after his adultery/marriage scandals has left him fearful of doing anything that could shift public opinion against him. It has taken him years to get where he is now (on a PR level) so basically he just treads lightly around certain situations. Being an absentee father probably didn’t help.

      • Sofia says:

        I agree Myra. I think he’s scared of doing anything that will set William off, who could in turn, go to the press and undo all the PR Charles has done for 20 years.

      • Seraphina says:

        Myra and Sofia, great points. Unfortunately it just feeds the monster they have created. Lyn also brings up a great point (above) that being at Wills’ mercy, as far as purse strings are concerned, would be too much to deal with when he becomes KoE.

      • Tessa says:

        Charles was ruthless in how he dealt with Diana. His way or the highway. He threw Harry under a bus and coddled William. NOw he is seemingly scared of William. Had he established boundaries with William years ago h e would not be in this situation.

      • NotSoSimpleTaylor says:

        This is true and I think it’s why he’s held a bit hostage by William. I also have been willing to believe that William’s behavior has been enabled by someone else, likely Elizabeth and Philip.

      • BnLurkN4eva says:

        I would feel sorry for Charles but his incredible selfishness makes it impossible. I will never forget the way he used Meghan and Doria to polish up his image and then sat silently by while Meghan was tortured in the press. Even showing up at an engagement, being seen out to lunch, anything would have shown a little affection. He did nothing and it frankly doesn’t matter what he’s done or promised them behind the scenes, his cowardice is what I will always remember.

        Whenever I consider what he’s done right and try to give him a break, his selfishness raises it’s head and I just can’t overlook it. He could have handled the Diana/Camilla situation better, but he wasn’t just a cheater, he was a mean cheater. He wanted to have his cake and eat it too in that situation and a young woman and small children were devastated because of it. Later, he spent more time trying to shine up his image than actually be the father those boys needed and at last when he could have interceded to stop the smearing, or at least make clear he wasn’t cool with it, he hid in the shadows. Awful man and William it seems is just like him in terms of selfishness.

    • L84Tea says:

      I’ve always said that being Diana’s son is the ONLY thing William has going for him. In the past he was her son AND he had good looks, but we all know that ship has sailed.

    • A says:

      In order to do that, Charles has to be emotionally mature himself, which he isn’t. Both William and Charles never matured emotionally, which accounts a great deal for their behaviour, a lot of which is just their unhealthy coping mechanisms at play. None of the adults in the BRF are emotionally mature, for that matter. The Queen was raised by a dominating, self-absorbed mother who monopolized the attention. We all know Philip’s life story. Diana was raised feeling she was not wanted by either parent. Charles was raised by a distant mother, and a harsh, bullying father. None of these people received the validation crucial for developing resilience & emotional maturity, as children.

      So they relied on other ways to provide what was lacking. Diana married Charles because she thought he was the one man in the country who couldn’t divorce her or make her feel unwanted. Charles gravitated to Camilla because she was confident, self-assured, and was willing to be patient with him rather than dismiss him as being too emotionally sensitive. Philip, who lacked a stable family upbringing, married the Queen and finally had a place to call home. QEII, who lacked confidence in herself, admired Philip’s ability to make decisions and do things and be confrontational.

      Is it any surprise William wound up this way? Look at his life, look at the adults he was surrounded by. He wasn’t set up for success even before Diana’s death. And then he lost his mother at 16, and what’s worse, was left to grieve and pick up the pieces with Charles, Philip and the Queen for support. Talk about having the worst group in the history of group projects.

      It’s crucial for children to grow up in emotionally stable environments, with adults who they can expect to behave in reasonable, reliable, and consistent ways. When children grow up knowing what to expect, that builds the confidence and resilience they need to trust themselves, which in turn gives them the tools to deal with whatever life throws at them. Children who grow up with adults who are themselves not emotionally mature, who behave in inconsistent and unreliable ways, will struggle to gain that confidence. They wind up having to rely on guesswork to decipher how they think adults will behave, and at some point or another, they will guess wrong, and they don’t develop confidence in their own abilities as a result. They see the ways these adults are lacking, but they internalize that, rather than understand that its grown ups who are falling short.

      It is hard to build up emotional maturity and confidence as an adult. It isn’t just self-awareness that’s needed. It requires honesty and vulnerability, the precise things that most children who grow up in these circumstances learn to avoid, because they’ve learned that being vulnerable = being weak, and being weak = getting hurt. You have to keep in mind that you owe it to the child you once were to get through this and come out the other side. William may not have to answer to anyone, but he will have to answer to the 16 year old kid who just lost his mother, desperate in his grief, dealing with adults who did not have his best interests at heart. He owes that kid everything, because he has to be the adult that kid needed now, as much as it sucks that things have to be this way.

      • Anoni Mus says:

        Great comment A, I think this is spot on. I can’t help but feel so sorry for BOTH boys, who I’ve seen grow up all these years. I know this is not a popular opinion but I think William gets too easily and gleefully cast as a villain, when he has had it very difficult in different ways than Harry. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad Harry got out and is exploring a new life outside this sh*tshow, but I can’t help but feel for William. He’s trapped. He probably has not the emotional maturity to deal with the intensity of the life he was born into and lashes out in times of stress. I agree that everyone would benefit from therapy here, but the Royal Family still lives as if they are in Victorian times sometimes and I doubt it would be attempted. Add to the mix constant scrutiny with social media and the ways in which we all click away at every bit of drama and details about their intimate life, which feeds the monster of the tabloid news and all the hangers on that want a piece of them.

      • A says:

        TBF, I think that William behaves in ways that are often fairly villainous. So, it’s not as if there needs to be an extra effort made to make him one. I feel bad for him, and I feel like there are probably valid reasons for his patterns of behaviour. But he is also responsible for his own behaviour at this point. There is no excuse for a man of his age to behave in these ways. He has a lot of constraints placed on him due to his position, but he also has access to so many privileges that others don’t. He has to make decisions for himself, because ultimately, he’s responsible for his own life.

      • windyriver says:

        @A, more than that, William is responsible for the lives of his three children. The time for him to start growing up was when George was born. His own experiences showed what those children will be subjected to; what has he done to mitigate that fate, for them? Whatever pressures surround him as heir, he’s had very little problem doing exactly what he wants for most of his adult life. That’s why his work record is so poor. Because of his position, his misdeeds have been covered up or explained away. And as far as the constant scrutiny with social media, maybe live with some integrity and morals so there’s nothing to hide – like, for example, don’t screw your neighbor. And don’t leak information about your brother and his wife. He has a choice. (Good advice for all the RF and their professed ‘values)’.

        Speaking of which, whatever the failings towards him by the RF in general, Will has a model for how to behave differently – his brother Harry. A brother who has no designs on his position, unlike previous generations, and who declared publicly that he’ll always have Will’s back. A brother who’s already spoken himself about getting therapy. A brother who’s kept his mouth shut despite everything he’s experienced the last few years. And who loved his wife, and especially his child, so much, that he walked away from a life most people presumably envy.

        Will is an almost 40-year-old man. He’s had every possible resource available to him to help him work on his underlying issues, including time, and the ability to publicly spin his decisions (e.g., therapy) whatever way he wants. It’s been his choice what kind of person he wants to be, and what he’s demonstrated so far is ugly. Let’s hope at least he’s doing better by his children than was done by him, and better than the recent questionable PR ops including them indicate. Otherwise, no sympathy from me.

  11. Roserose says:

    This makes William sound like a narcissist. If that is the case, I actually really feel for Kate, and more importantly, their children. Being around a narcissist is not good for you, in any way. Especially when they’re your parent.

    • Eleonor says:

      A narcissist who has been told for all his life one day he will rule because he was chosen by God.
      Good luck with that .

    • Kalana says:

      A narcissist who is surrounded by flying monkey courtiers who are happy to run to the press to set a narrative against anyone the narcissist wants.

    • Lizzie says:

      It strikes me how much he sounds like trump. I wonder if the prize of being queen consort, or however Tatler phrased it, is still what Kate is in it for. We know Melania keeps Barron way from trump as much as possible. IIRC I have read on this site that Will and Kate are often at different homes.
      Divorce because of rage/temper would be devastating to the RF. Kate does hold a lot of cards here.

    • Tessa says:

      I don’t feel for Kate. SHe willingly went along with the bad treatment of Meghan. To me that PR stunt with Flybe was the last straw.

      • Tealie says:

        Same for me to The White supremacist a black woman made me cry was the was the last straw I don’t feel anything for her.

      • Beach Dreams says:

        Same. She knew exactly what he was and still married him after years of being familiar with his behavior. She didn’t just go along with the bad treatment of Meghan, she initiated a good portion of it.

      • Nic919 says:

        Kate is like Melania and I pity neither. They can get divorced but choose to remain for money and power. If they are exposing their kids to a deranged narcissist then they are prepared to sacrifice them as well in their desire for power.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Exactly, no pity here. Kate is an immature, meangirling, bullying, control freak. She may have narcissistic tendancies herself. These two are mirror images of each other.

  12. Becks1 says:

    A temper to match “the importance that he attaches to his role as future king” – but Charles is ALSO a future king, and for all his faults that have been discussed for decades, I don’t remember reading about Charles flying off the handle like this with such frequency.

    I feel like here, someone contacted the Middleton camp and said “is this true about his tempers” and the response was “yes yes but Kate can pull him back! Kate calms him! That’s why Kate has to be the future queen!”

    Something else illuminating about all these excerpts is how focused William seems to be on the monarchy and his role as future king. It actually explains why he’s so lazy now and why he’ll be a poor Duke of Cornwall/Prince of wales – he isn’t focused on those roles. He’s focused on being king. He doesn’t see his current or near future roles as part of that (even if they should serve as stepping stones). He just wants to be king. He just wants the power and the control of being king. And when’s he king, yikes, look out everyone.

    No wonder Harry wanted to get the hell out of there before he was close to the throne.

    • Beach Dreams says:

      Agreed. Someone in Camp Middleton probably wanted to spin this for Kate’s benefit, but I highly doubt she (or anyone) can truly calm William down judging by all the descriptions of these fits of rage. Perhaps Harry is the only one who’s not afraid to fight back and stand up to him.

      William’s definitely focused on becoming king; he’s had little PR campaigns touting him as a better prospect for the job than Charles, but never so strongly/consistently as in the past year or two. It’s become quite blatant. I find it quite an interesting turn-around from years of dreading his fate.

      • Tessa says:

        Kate is not secure. On a whim, William could take up with another woman and humiliate Kate. ANd even toss Kate aside and marry someone else.

      • Beach Dreams says:

        @Tessa I’ve been of two minds on that possibility after all the events so far in 2020. On the one hand, a Cambridge divorce is a terrible look for the monarchy and William knows it. He also knows that he’ll likely never find another woman who is a) too lazy and complacent to outshine him, b) willing to look the other way regarding his poor behavior, and c) willing to coddle him to the extent that Kate and her family have done. She’s too convenient a partner to cast aside.

        On the other hand, this year there’s been an odd flurry of PR articles insisting that Kate is essential to William *and* the monarchy. These articles have read differently from past Middleton-sanctioned pieces, which usually just focused on how fabulous Kate supposedly is. They make me wonder what’s happening behind the scenes for Kate/Carole to believe that churning out stories with this narrative is necessary. I’m not sure divorce is in the cards, but I think something is afflicting the Cambridge marriage (not just the Rose situation either) badly enough for these “Kate is a kingmaker, she’s the cornerstone of the monarchy, etc.” articles.

      • Becks1 says:

        @Beach Dreams – I have a semi-theory (meaning I don’t know how much even I fully buy into it, but it keeps sort of lurking in my mind just the same) about how William was so “incandescent with rage” over Sussexit not just because it meant he lost control of Harry, or because it meant he had to do more work – but because he and Kate were on the verge of divorce and now he knows he cant divorce her, at least not for a few years. The royal family now needs to project stability and for the average royal fan, will and Kate are the epitome of that. He knows enough to know that and knows that Sussexit put a stop to any separation plans for the near future.

        This would also work with the flurry of “Kate is carrying the weight of the monarchy” on her shoulders – which as you pointed out above and I agreed with – seems to really be pushing the theory that Kate is indispensable for William’s future reign. She’s the only one who can calm his horrible rages – well then geez we have to keep her around. There wasn’t pushback about the rages – the source didn’t say “Yes he loses his temper at times but these stories are greatly exaggerated, no one lives in fear of him, he doesn’t yell at his father, etc” – No. We got “Kate can calm him.”

        All very interesting indeed.

      • Harper says:

        I read a comment somewhere, and I thought it was here, that the deal with Kate was ten years and two kids. Will getting caught dad dancing forced a renegotiation and Louis was the result. Ten years is coming up, hence the rage and all the Kate embiggening?

      • notasugarhere says:

        Becks1, good theory. If William had finally figured out how to set her aside, then Harry and Meghan walked? That would add to his frustration at once again, not getting to move chess pieces around the way he wanted.

        Harper, much of the embiggening of Kate comes from the Middletons and their PR hacks. Stories of Kate swimming in pearls, being an amazing chef (lies), Kate coming into her own. All from Camp Middleton. They are trying, too late, to get the public behind Kate in the event of a divorce.

    • NotSoSimpleTaylor says:

      I think growing up royal comes with being raised to accept a certain level of narcissism is okay and acceptable. I don’t see Charles really out of that boundary but his reputation suffered due to the toxicity that played out with his marriage to Diana. I think it was an incredibly toxic period that has had long lasting consequences. In most families, there are reasonable interventions but how do you intervene when your entire family rules the country?

      I honestly have long believed that the courtiers around Charles are more invested in his reputation than Charles actually is. I think Charles wants to prove that he can do it since people have questioned if he can his entire life but I think that’s as far as it goes. I honestly think the only royal who actually cares about the health of the institution is William but I also think it’s completely consumed him.

  13. Myra says:

    His butler needs to give him a Snickers bar.

  14. Noki says:

    If Meghan did witness or was on the receiving end of any tantrum I believe she would have told him not to speak to her sideways. This probably put Williams nose put of joint,who dares speak back to him? Kates soothing him was probably because she cant actually tell him ‘ok stop being a douche’.

    • Tessa says:

      Kate is his enabler not his soother. I don’t like the way she treated Harry and Meghan.

  15. Elizabeth says:

    Screaming and yelling and saying everything mean you can think of is not a healthy, mature way to handle conflict. It’s toxic and it is abuse. It doesn’t matter if your father cheated on your mother. It’s still abusive behavior.

    I think we need to say it. William is an abuser. He is abusive to his own family. He has probably treated every one of them to this. I’m not a fan of the royals, but abuse is always wrong.

    I grew up with a physically and verbally abusive father. It destroyed our relationship and it left me with terrible patterns of behavior that I have to consciously reject every day. It is hard work. But it is worth it to have a normal life and break the pattern.

    • Becks1 says:

      If William’s tempers and rages are as bad as described in this book (and I tend to think they are, because it seems like the one consistent thing we hear about William’s personality is his temper), then I do think it is abusive behavior. Kate probably modifies her behavior constantly to keep him calm and happy. Carole probably caters to his every whim for that exact reason as well. And it sounds like it goes beyond them and he has the royal family under his control and they live in fear of his rages.

      • Sofia says:

        Exactly Becks. William is going to be King, hence why he’s “allowed” to have these rages. Too many people depend/need him when he’s going to be King. Kate and her family want her to be Queen and the only way she gets there if a) there’s a throne for William to sit on and b) she’s married to him. She can really only make sure she achieves one of those things. If she disagrees with him, even in the slightest, what’s to stop him from filing divorce papers in a fit of rage?

        And he’ll control the purse strings too. I’m sure the Wessexes will want to stay on the Sovereign Grant until they die. They’ll most likely outlive Charles so they’ve got to make sure they remain on William’s “good side”. Same with the rest of the extended family. If they want/need a favour, not making him angry is how they’re going to get it.

      • Tessa says:

        Kate is an enabler. Big TIme.

      • Nic919 says:

        Uncle Gary said once that William likes his women super thin and while he’s a crook himself, it might explain why Kate is so diligent in staying very thin and returning to that state very quickly post pregnancy. He may not even tell her to do this specifically but she probably lives in a state of anxiety in a lot of ways and does this to have some control.

      • Jaded says:

        @Nic919 – Uncle Gary also hates Meghan. I read a horrible article the other day where he spewed the most toxic venom at her, this is just a portion of it:

        “She should shut the ‘F’ up.”
        “Harry you have lost our love and respect. Meghan you are a wrong’n,”

        No amount of money, prestige or power would keep me in that godawful marriage, I’d have taken the kids and done a runner a long time ago.

      • Julia K. says:

        My brother flew into unprovoked rages that were terrifying. I kept my children far away from him. In his 60’s he was clearly mentally ill. Hope this is not the path waiting for William.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Becks1, that theory doesn’t work in my eyes. Kate hounded and chased this man for a decade. Stood aside while he cheated repeatedly. All because she wanted the title. She also repeatedly described, by people like former staff, as controlling, prickly, temperamental, hard to handle. These two are mirror images.

      • Becks1 says:

        @Nota – but I don’t think that’s inconsistent with my theory. Kate may have known what she was getting into, and she may have known she’d be living with this abusive a-hole of a man, and she may have known she’d be modifying her behavior constantly for the rest of her life to keep him happy – but she still chose to chase him and to marry him because the title made all of that other stuff worth it. I’m not saying his behavior was a surprise to her -I think she knew about it and still made a very conscious choice.

    • A says:

      “But it is worth it to have a normal life and break the pattern.” Not only that, but, it is something I owe to that terrified little kid who had to sit there and listen to that screaming. Anyone who deals with this sort of behaviour knows that you carry that child in you for the rest of your life. They never go away. They only go away when you become the adult they needed and deserved.

      • misery chick says:

        @ A-your comments about the terrified kid still living inside of you and will be there until you are the adult that they need you to be…are so sad, beautiful and poignant. I’m actually sobbing as I’m typing this.

        I grew up with a cold narcissistic mom and was sexually abused by my stepfather. When my mom confronted my stepfather about the abuse, he committed suicide that night (how’s THAT for a Lifetime movie?!?) I was always angry but never felt comfortable enough until I met my dear husband. For the first time in my life I felt seen, loved and treasured by someone. Which was wonderful, but I felt so safe that my anger from all of those years came out at him.

        I REALLY related to what you said about William yelling at people because that’s the only way he felt people actually heard him. That’s blowing up in his face, and it blew up in mine too.

        I’d been in therapy most of my adult life, but until I realized that 98% of the crap I was mad at my husband for literally had NOTHING TO DO WITH HIM!!!!

        After that A-HA!! moment, I was extremely motivated to change because I couldn’t stand myself and the way I treated my husband. Stopped talk therapy and went into CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and then a year long DBT (Didactical Behavioral Therapy) which TOTALLY changed my life by changing the way I think by ‘reframing’ thoughts, behaviors, situations etc.

        I’m not exactly sure why my husband never left me, but I’ll never stop being grateful that he didn’t. We’ll be married 37 years this December (no kids, 2 bratty cats, lol) and we’ve never been closer nor happier.

        My tears are healing tears, and I have you to thank for this gift. I’ve worked really hard to heal, and I’ve been so lucky to have the teachers I needed in my life appear at the right place and the right time.

      • A says:

        @misery chick, I’m really touched that what I wrote resonated with you so deeply. And I want to thank you for taking the time to tell me, and for trusting me enough to share something so personal. Your last sentence, about how lucky you are to have the teachers you need appear at the right place and the right time–that is so true. I can only hope that everyone is that lucky. I know I’ve been as well.

  16. Mignionette says:

    This explains so much.

    Bill is essentially a NARC on steroids. It also explains why he and Kate are together.

    Mess.

  17. lanne says:

    Meghan, the Beautiful Commoner who saved the Handsome Prince from the Monster so they could live Happily Ever After. There’s a new fairy tale being written here, one that’s pretty irresistable.

    I highly doubt that Kate “pulls him back”. That would imply that they are equals, and that she has authority that he respects. The problem is, we’ve never seen that publically. Have we ever heard him talk about her in terms of a partnership, the way that Harry has openly spoken about Meghan? Kate’s MO is likely to be meek and silent and wait for Will’s tantrum to pass. It’s likely protection for herself so that she’s not the target, but all that does is further enable the bully. If he’s yelling at his dad in front of his stepmother, it’s likely he’s yelling in front of the kids as well–kids aren’t really “people” to bullies, anyway–they are tiny extensions of himself so no harm done.

    Are the powers that be over in the UK okay with this portrait of William getting out? UK citizens want someone like this reigning “contented over us” as the anthem goes? They want to sing “God Save the King” to this guy, a narcissist, a bully, and maybe even an abuser??

    The royal family has much bigger problems than Harry and Meghan.

    • tolly says:

      With the way this book is portraying Wills, Finding Freedom may turn out to be an unexpected blessing for the Sussexes, even though it didn’t go over well. Regardless of their actual level of involvement, people consider that book to be their side of the story, which insulates them (especially Harry) from accusations of talking to Lacey. Battle of Brothers seems to be the book that the royals were afraid of when FF was announced.

    • Beach Dreams says:

      I’m curious about your questions in the third paragraph too, particularly regarding the powers in the palace. For all the tabloid-adjacent mess we’re getting from this book about Harry and Meghan, Lacey seems to be firing a LOT of shots at William. I don’t know if that was by design (and intended by courtiers at CH), or if he foolishly thought these stories would make William look good. If anyone has it out for him, I’d guess it’d have to be Charles’ people. I’m not sure about the queen’s courtiers because a) Charles doesn’t care for them and wants them gone when he’s king, and b) presumably that makes some of them latch onto William in hopes of having a connection to the monarchy as he ascends to power. I think they’d tip-toe around attacking William compared to Charles’ courtiers.

      • Sofia says:

        This is definitely making me wonder who exactly wants/is happy with this image of William getting out (unless Lacey really is that dumb)? I said yesterday it could be the courtiers because they took more hits from Finding Freedom than the family and I will now try and refine that and say it’s CH courtiers/staff – especially if some of them have been serving since William and Harry were living there.

        Could also explain why BP sent the book back unopened. The courtiers there have nothing to do with it and possibly heard through the grapevine that certain courtiers in CH did.

    • Tealie says:

      She described their relationship dynamic as being his assistant, I think that says it all really they’re not equal partners and he doesn’t even see her as an equal being, just a side prop to his life. And she is clinging on for her dear life.

    • BnLurkN4eva says:

      Behaviors like this seems to be acceptable in white males. For some reason it’s overlooked by most people and made excuses for. If a man of color behaves in similar manner in any visible public position, he’s gone yesterday.

    • A says:

      I think what Kate does is just not provoke him further, either by demanding that he behave better, or by saying something that only aggravates him further. Knowing how to be silent, to take cover, to smooth over the sometimes public fall outs that result from such outbursts so that people don’t feel awkward afterwards, etc. Of course, none of these are constructive ways of dealing with the problem, and frankly, the onus shouldn’t be on Kate to figure out how to “manage” William’s moods. His behaviour is not exactly her responsibility, nor is it her responsibility to fix his behaviour.

      Framing it like this, where Kate is presented as the placating influence to William’s choleric one–I can’t imagine that it’s going to go over well. I said it before, and I’ll say it again, it’s very 1950s Stepford wifey. It speaks of someone who prioritizes decorum and saving face and preventing embarrassment. It doesn’t make Kate look good at all, especially not at an age where women are gaining more awareness of the emotional expectations that are placed on them, especially when men are concerned. To me, she looks weak and subservient, the pleasant, quiet wife who shushes her husband gently when he’s flying into a rage. It’s not a strong, capable look for her at all, and if that’s the attempted framing, whoever is responsible for that should be fired from the Cambridge/Middleton payroll.

  18. S808 says:

    Uhhh if this is true, he needs therapy DESPERATELY. How are these courtiers, Charles and the queen be all about the crown and let him act like this?? He will be king one day and seems to not be able to control his temper. What if he deals with a official from another nation he doesn’t like? They can’t risk his temper getting the best of him all of the time. Man, Meghan must’ve seen some things cause she’s looked uneasy around him at times.

    • Snuffles says:

      I’m pretty sure Meghan witnessed similar behavior in her crazy sister Sammy growing up. Did anyone else read Andrew Morton’s book on Meghan. The way he described Samantha was absolutely terrifying. Even her brother was scared of her.

      • Amy Bee says:

        Meghan didn’t grow up with Samantha. Apparently she’s only met her twice and once was when Samantha graduated from college. But I believe she held her own against William and that’s one of the reasons he decided to smear her in the press.

      • S808 says:

        @Amy Bee

        I think she absolutely did hold her own against William and the Hubb Community Kitchen money comes to mind. She made sure that the money made went to those ladies even though William wanted to use to for his and Kate’s projects.

    • Likeyoucare says:

      Look at camilla (picture above)
      She is trying to distant herself from PWT.

      • NotSoSimpleTaylor says:

        Camilla seems genuinely fearful and doesn’t seem like she wants to be anywhere near William.

    • Oh says:

      I don’t think he dared and yelled at Meghan, maybe he threw tantrums at his father and Harry and maybe his wife but Meghan? I don’t think so … but if that happened , I’m sure Meghan put him in his place

  19. Oh says:

    William needs therapy. I feel sorry for Harry has this crazy brother, luckily Archie will be raised away from this unstable uncle.

    • Snuffles says:

      It will be a LONG time before Archie ever steps foot in the UK again or be around that family. Harry will probably return for his charities but I think he doesn’t want the Windsors anywhere near his child.

  20. Sarah says:

    Spoiled brat much?

    As for Kate ‘soothing’ him I can see that. Not her telling him to get a grip (no chance!) but agreeing with him gently and using the sort of tones you would with a small child or a pet that’s freaking out about something.

    The part that makes me really uncomfortable is how much the children see/hear of this. he may not be yelling at them (I hope) but that’s a hugely unhealthy environment for them to be growing up in.

    • lanne says:

      If there’s yelling going on in that house, believe me, the kids know. Kids ALWAYS know those kinds of things. They hear everything. The only way they wouldn’t know if they aren’t physically around their dad that much–the old, “bring in the kids to be kissed at night and back to the nursery they go.” If Will is a traditional distant royal parent, that might actually be a very good thing if he is indeed this much of a rage monster.

  21. Lemons says:

    He’s abusive. All this talk of mental health, but he has no concern for the mental health of those closest to him. He is trying to beat his family down into submission.

    • Oh says:

      He does not care about mental health, this is only for PR and it is funny that people buy his nonsense about mental health because he lost his mother at a young age …. if he cared about mental health he would not have said that his brother is fragile or used the emotional blackmail to his brother, also he was not concerned about the mental health of his sister in law when she was pregnant… he’s just a hypocrite

  22. Sunday says:

    The compounded implications of these stories all make me very worried for the cambridge children and Kate. I’m no fan of hers, but nobody deserves to be in a volatile, abusive situation, especially when children are involved. And that’s exactly the picture these stories are painting – that of an angry, abusive tyrant. It’s incredibly worrying, and I’m just astounded that this is supposed to be a palace-positive narrative? It sounds more like a cry for help.

    • Merricat says:

      I can’t imagine that Kate wasn’t aware of what William is like; she spent years trying to lock him down. She chose to have three children with him. No one deserves to be abused, however she stalked and married her abuser. The whole lot of them are out of their minds.

      • Kalana says:

        Codependents and narcissists are drawn to each other. Kate has very little sense of self outside of reacting to (and copying) other people.

        We always ask why Kate doesn’t break free from her controlling mother or husband but I think that’s because she feels more in control reacting than by being independent and building something for herself. Look at her lack of curiosity and passion in her charity work vs. how much effort she puts into her appearance or her family.

      • Merricat says:

        That is a great point.

      • Sunday says:

        Kalana, very well said and I think you’re right on all counts.

      • Tealie says:

        Of course she was he threw her around like a ragdoll (dumping her, then dating her, then cheating on her, then degrading her over and over again). The nickname ‘Limpet’ is making more and more sense every day… 😳

      • Sofia says:

        Agreed.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Kate was fully aware of it. She is also of a similar temperament. Controlling, wants press attention, wants to be Queen Bee. She’s a female version of William, right down to the bullying behavior. All of that was know about her long before they married, with the bullying behavior and meangirling coming from as early as age 14.

  23. LE2020 says:

    Despite what this website has a said a couple of times, I don’t think this sanctioned by any family members in the palace. The first commentary said no one comes out looking good. It’s probably more of the aristos and some staff letting the dirt fly on all of them.

    • Tealie says:

      I don’t think there are aristos care enough to tell stories about past some once in a while gossip, they’re in their own complete bubble.

  24. MaxAndLiz says:

    He sounds like Trump

  25. Chrissy says:

    If he really took his pretend mental health platform seriously he would practice some self-reflection and work on his own mental health FIRST for the sake of himself and his family. It sounds like Kate is a massive enabler rather than helping PWT face the reality of anger issues. But of course she won’t because it puts her own status in jeopardy.

    • A says:

      It’s always struck me as weird, because I do think their mental health advocacy was sincere in the beginning. I think Kate pushed really hard for it with William when she first got married, because she genuinely thought it held the answers for him, and that all he needed to do was pack himself off to some therapy sessions and he’d be a-okay. The staffers okay-ed their platform of advocating for reducing mental health stigma, because they were the young, hip royals, who would be the breath of fresh air, and help right the wrongs of the past for the BRF. They’d show the world they weren’t cold, emotionally closed off, and cruel.

      But working on one’s own mental health is not a linear process. You have successes, and you have set backs. It also requires a person to really, sincerely spend time working on themselves. I always see people recommending therapy just off hand, and it irks me sometimes, because it’s not a bandaid. You don’t just slap it on, go for six sessions, then come out all healed. I think a lot of people expect it to be a miracle cure of some type, and when that doesn’t happen, wind up feeling disillusioned, and then quit.

      And I would hazard a guess and say that that’s what happened with William. He thought it would be easy. It wasn’t. He thought it was just matter of dotting your i’s, and crossing your t’s. He doesn’t strike me as someone who’s prepared for the messy work involved with therapy. He wanted someone to fix his problems for him, and when therapy didn’t do that, I’m going to bet he quit and hasn’t bothered since. Kate, for her own part, gave up as well, and now the two of them are really just kind of drifting along.

  26. Merricat says:

    The irony of William banging the mental health drum is too much for me.

  27. Kalana says:

    There’s a story about Philip screaming at Elizabeth in front of their friends. They were driving to one of their homes and Elizabeth was speaking animatedly to their guests and Philip screamed at her that if she did not shut up, he would kick her out of the car and she would have to walk the rest of the way, and to the guests’ surprise, the Queen stopped talking and stayed silent for the rest of the ride.

    There are stories in The Housekeeper’s Diary about Charles’ rages and that once over, he would be embarrassed and apologize.

    I’ve noticed after 20 years of being together, Kate is still nervous around William and nearly always looks for his approval. Carole is a nightmare to her staff and Michael Middleton smooths things over so we know Kate has her own experience with this kind of behavior.

    William grew up watching the men in his life scream at people. I think in a bizarre way, the Windsors respect William’s aggressive behavior because they too are massively dysfunctional. Harry was odd man out talking about his own vulnerability and therapy and we saw how they used that to undermine him. They tell couples where one spouse is abusive to not go to couples counselling because the abusive partner will use any vulnerable information against the other person.

    • Becks1 says:

      Maybe in the extreme dysfunction that is the Windsors, yelling at your spouse in such a manner is considering “alpha” or “being in control?” How disturbing though.

      • Kalana says:

        I think they may have too much baggage around these issues that they don’t want to think about so instead they normalize and minimize everything and may even feel scorn for the victims of this behavior. Otherwise, if it’s wrong when William does it, it must have been wrong when they did it or it was done to them.

        They would have to examine their own behavior and hurt and the BRF is known for their emotional repression.

    • ArtHistorian says:

      More evidence that Philip is a massive a-hole.

  28. ABritGuest says:

    If these reports about William’s rages are true I feel sorry for him and those around him. Might be a case of learned behaviour for William & Harry as I’ve read of Charles having angry meltdowns and that Diana had fits of anger too (I read she sometimes lashed out at Charles) that Charles found frightening. No idea of truth of what I read but could explain something if true.

    I hope they can break the cycle of dysfunction for their families’ sake somehow

    • Tessa says:

      Charles was seen aiming a blow at Diana and stopped when he noticed the cameras. They were getting into a car. The housekeeper said in a fit of rage he pulled a sink out of a Highgrove bathroom. Diana would argue back and not behave meekly, something Charles would not tolerate.

      • Kalana says:

        Charles went after someone so young for a reason and deflected to blaming Philip for everything. William’s approach was to “audition” his girlfriend for ten years to see what she would accept.

      • Sid says:

        There’s a video of them walking about and Charles is behind Diana and talking to another man. Charles and the man catch up to Diana and then Charles bumps into her rather hard. It was bizarre and you can tell he did it on purpose because you see him look up and see her then look down right before it happens.

      • Kalana says:

        If you look for a video of Charles and Diana dancing in Australia, Diana is in a green evening dress, you can see how disrespectful he was with her.

      • A says:

        I think Diana was also written to have thrown things at Charles too. Plates, porcelains, clothes, etc. Charles and Diana were reportedly arguing a week into their honeymoon.

        Philip and Elizabeth’s marital squabbles always got written off as like, quirky old people fighting, for a long time. “Haha, isn’t it so funny that they had these raging arguments in front of people? Old married people, amiright?” It’s certainly not healthy behaviour, but at the same time, neither of them or anyone in their circle thought it was particularly unhealthy either.

        I remember reading about Diana’s maternal grandmother, Baroness Fermoy. We all know she disapproved of her daughter’s divorce, and testified against her. She did so because she genuinely believed that, short of a husband beating you, being a perpetual drunk, or wasting/gambling away all of your money, you don’t divorce them. Her own husband was notoriously unfaithful to her, and she stuck with him until the end. Per her standard, Johnny Spencer was a great husband, and she liked him a lot better than she liked her own daughter.

        And Diana’s father’s side wasn’t any better. Earl Spencer’s father was a notoriously tightfisted bully. Earl Spencer was living off of his wife’s money and inheritance until his father died. His mother spent her whole life being bullied by her husband in turn. And wouldn’t you believe it–the present Earl Spencer, William and Harry’s uncle, has been married 3 times. His first wife divorced him and he admitted that he treated her poorly. We all know the story of Charles and Diana. And now William.

  29. Snuffles says:

    @amybee You’re right that she didn’t grow up with Samantha in the house but she did see her often enough during her childhood. She saw her brother too. She used to spend time with her nieces and nephews. There are pictures. I don’t think Samantha was completely cut out of her life until Meghan was an adult.

    • Rita says:

      The only pictures Samantha has of Meghan was when she was very young under three years of age and one graduation picture which meghan followed her dad to at his request if she had more she would have revealed them Samantha’s first child is about three to four years older than Meghan Samantha was off and married living in another state Thomas Jr was around more when she was younger until he married and had children photos show meghan around his children up to age 12 with her dad and when their grandmother did Thanksgiving

  30. Sydney says:

    This book is more about William and his terrible behavior than anything maybe the palace should’ve read it instead of leaving the advanced copy they was sent unopened.

    • NotSoSimpleTaylor says:

      They don’t need to. They lived through it. It’s amazing they aren’t fighting back harder.

  31. Sydney says:

    Meghan had to deal with the Markles growing up. She’s use to someone like William. Harry wouldn’t have allowed William to talk to Meghan any kind of way to begin with. Harry is also know to have his own temper so I don’t think he was afraid of William just tired of his crap.

  32. NotSoSimpleTaylor says:

    I think most British kings are rage monsters. William’s great-great Grandfather was vicious with his children. That’s why I think Queens end up being so popular in the UK. Imagine having your Head of State consistently in a rage.

    I think this current battle is the culmination of 300 years of familial tension and the unhealthiness of raising children in the royal environment. If anyone has seen The Boys on Amazon, I think William and the character Homelander have a lot in common. Homelander was raised by scientists in a lab and I honestly think William was raised in a similar – albeit royal – fashion.

    One thing to remember is part of the reason there is so much tension in that family is more often than not, the heir doesn’t raise their child, the grandparent sovreign does. This is a family where children have been historically raised by the elderly with long periods of separation from biological parents completely normal and I think in the UK, it’s always been a bit of a wash overall. There’s always support, of course but I think the child-rearing within The House of Hanover has always been an issue given the laws around who has custody of royal children.

  33. Lizzie says:

    What respect I feel for Harry and Meghan that they haven’t quietly released this information. I’m sure their popularity didn’t go over well but I think the fear that Meghan would out William is the real heart of the palace turning on her.

    • NotSoSimpleTaylor says:

      That wouldn’t surprise me at all. I would also venture that they were nervous about what she had been told.

    • Tessa says:

      Who knows what vile things Will really said about Meghan to harry, crude names. Harry was afraid for his family and it was time to leave.

      • lanne says:

        The Sussexes do have the power of their voices though. Harry could easily say to his brother: Back the F off or I’m going to talk”. The stories he could tell about the royal family would be incredible. I don’t think the Sussexes want to do that or they would have done it already. They certainly have cause.

    • A says:

      I don’t think William really cares how his behaviour makes him come off. But it’s important to remember that the Sussexs’ restraint is really the correct way to behave in this situation. There is nothing to be gained from slinging mud in the press. Nothing constructive anyway. It won’t make Harry feel any better. I’m willing to bet that he has the tools to handle this positively, and maturely, which is precisely why he’s not engaging with the press and leaking stories. That, in part, is why the press is so angry with them and making them out as the villain–they are not providing any information to feed the narrative, and the press hates that.

  34. Harper says:

    Once upon a time, the world believed that Charles and Diana were actually in love and happily married. People had a hard time accepting the truth when it started to trickle out, but now everyone accepts that their marriage was a farce. In the same way, once upon a time, people thought Prince William was the golden child and the best hope of the monarchy. Again, people will have a hard time, I think, accepting the truth that William is a rage monster who cheats on his wife and is responsible for his brother leaving. It takes a while for these truths to settle in, but they always do. One reason the truth does eventually come out is that there is too much money to be made by writing explosive royal exposes. Lacey appears to be the first one willing to dip his toe in the water; let’s see if anyone is brave enough to go even deeper with Wills.

    • NotSoSimpleTaylor says:

      This is what happens when your monarch lives too long. She lives to see herself dissected. Elizabeth’s predecessors were long dead when their failures came to light. This also pushes back on the propaganda narrative pushed by The Daily Mail and The Daily Mirror.

      You can only bully people for so long before they stand up to you. I would expect to see the floodgates open after this.

      • ArtHistorian says:

        There’s a book recently published by Norman Baker (former government minister) about the BRF and it it called “…and what do you do? What the Royal Family Don’t Want You to Know”. I haven’t read it yet but it is on my shopping list.

        The summary/blurb for the book makes is sound very INTERESTING:
        “The monarchy itself is an important part of our constitution with considerable influence on the kind of nation we are. Yet you will struggle to find much in the way of proper journalism that examines the monarchy in the way that their position and influence merit. Instead, we are fed a constant diet of sickeningly obsequious coverage which reports their activities with breathless and uncritical awe.

        In this book, former government minister Norman Baker argues that the British public deserves better than this puerile diet. … And What Do You Do? is a hard-hitting analysis of the royal family, exposing its extravagant use of public money and the highly dubious behaviour of some among its ranks, whilst being critical of the knee-jerk sycophancy shown by the press and politicians. Baker also considers the wider role the royals play in society, including the link with House of Lords reform, and the constitutional position of the monarch, which is important given Prince Charles’s present and intended approach.

        What makes this book so unusual is that Baker is himself a member of the Privy Council, the body that officially advises the monarch. By turns irreverent and uncompromising, … And What Do You Do? asks important questions about the future of the world’s most famous royal family.”

      • Becks1 says:

        ooh thanks for the rec ArtHistorian. It’s available instantly on Kindle but not in paperback until November. My husband is going to roll his eyes if I buy another royal book, but he doesn’t know what’s on my kindle LOL.

      • NotSoSimpleTaylor says:

        I will be reading that! Thank you, ArtHistorian. Coming from a country where we love our royals and see them as “one of us,” This concept of what The BRF has done vs what Denmark has done shows why the actio friend said the rest of European royals are taking notes what not to do from them and there’s a reason the rest of Euro aristos stay far away from them, have jobs, and don’t comment.

      • ArtHistorian says:

        The Danish RF got VERY lucky that Ingrid of Sweden married into the family. King Christian X nearly got the monarchy abolished in 1920 and he was by all accounts a difficult man and very harsh father. I don’t think it was a coincidence that both his sons developed a significant alcohol abuse. Ingrid lost her mother in a very traumatic way when she was only 10 years old but before that CP Margareta had raised her children with true warmth. It was also very beneficial for the DRF that Ingrid seemed to have a natural flair for PR. She was instrumental in Christian X taking his daily rides through Copenhagen during the occupation – and he completely revamped his public image and popularity.

        Ingrid also made it her business to gently support and guide the members of her Swedish (royal) family, fx by personally mentoring Queen Silvia when she first became queen.

        I do think that Ingrid helped establish a healthier dynamic within the immediate royal family. And while there have definitely been issues with Margrethe II’s (and Henrik’s) parenting, I think that both CP Frederik and Prince Joachim’s families are psychologically healthy to a large degree.

        A while Margrethe II may not have been the best parent, she’s extremely good at her job and is, IMO, the most successful constitutional monarch Denmark has had (just as her namesake Margrethe I was the most successful medieval monarch that the country has ever had).

  35. CrystalBall says:

    I don’t think William is the only short-tempered one here – Kate keeps her temper and impatience carefully hidden.

    • Kalana says:

      They now control the images that get out. Remember that gif of Kate at Centrepoint where she disgustedly turned away and did a BIG roll of her eyes? It’s when she wore the green turtleneck sweaterdress and her black suede boots.

      There’s also a gif of Kate in her pink princess dress shortly after her wedding smiling exaggeratedly and tossing her head to the side at a woman in a reception line and contemptuously dropping the smile immediately when she moves on.

    • Tealie says:

      I think Kate is sly and vicious but not outwardly so, in the way that woman often express their anger; extreme passive aggression, spreading lies and rumours, fake tears and ditsy smiles to the face.

    • A says:

      So typical white women/Karen behaviour then.

  36. MsIam says:

    I had to laugh at the idea of Kate telling William to “Let it go”! You mean like she and Carole did with the Tatler article? Or Kate at the Commonwealth ceremony? Or what’s this snit about the jewelry she was given? That household must be a hot @ss mess with all of these personalities running around. Dysfunction Junction indeed!

  37. Well-Wisher says:

    This is the person who equates his brother as his assistant, not understanding that even aides lead separate lives. I will repeat, the Cambridges are the weakest link.

  38. Zut alors says:

    This is what I don’t get. Why didn’t they (courtiers et al) put a stop to his temper tantrums and allowed him to go on with his appalling behavior? So what if he threatened to leave? It was and is an empty threat. He is not qualified for anything in the real world. As it is, he hasn’t done anything tangible with his position. He is dependent on the monarchy for his standard of living. Why all the coddling? How was the monarchy going to suffer if he left?

    • Kalana says:

      William is Diana’s son. They were scared he would play that card against them by leaking their dirty laundry or reframing his behavior as reacting to how terribly Diana was treated. Notice that William and Kate replicated Charles and Diana taking their baby son to Australia, replicated Diana visiting the Taj Mahal, replicated William’s outfit when he was taken to visit a newborn Harry in the hospital for George, replicated Diana’s maternity’s outfits etc. They are the redo of the mistakes made by the rest of the family and until William’s affair with Rose got out, their public image was rock solid.

      William is a shameless opportunist. When Harry was going through his Nazi costume scandal, William went to his advisor at St. Andrews and tried to use Harry’s scandal to get out of sitting his exams on claims that he was too distraught. It’s in Penny Junor’s book. In the end, he was made to sit his exams on schedule.

      • MsIam says:

        Dang, William is a horrible person, lol. And I think this is the crux of why they want Harry back and why this Lacey was being so dramatic about how the brothers must reconcile to save the monarchy. The word will get out about asshole William just like it has about asshole Trump. He will need Harry to cover for him or else it’s curtains for the whole sha-bang.

    • A says:

      @Zut alors, it’s complicated. There’s a lot of factors involved, a lot of which comes down to how the Queen’s staff members + courtiers view the purpose and function of the monarchy, particularly the monarch + future future monarch. The courtiers prioritize stability. Charles, they feel, did enough to damage and disrupt the monarchy with their divorce. William has to be the reset point for the monarchy, where they go back to “business as usual,” with Charles’ marriage, divorce, remarriage as an aberration.

      William removing himself from the line of succession would compromise all of that in a huge way. It would be another disruption, and it would have resulted from the Charles and Diana situation, which they want to contain to Charles’ generation alone. Charles was also deeply unpopular for a long time, and there was a contingent of the press/public who thought the Queen should skip over him and give the crown to William instead, in order to preserve the monarchy and its popularity.

      While I doubt anyone took that seriously within the monarchy, they understood that William was seen as the future of the monarchy. People looked to him to vindicate how Diana was treated and how she died. She couldn’t be Queen, but her son would. Her son would do it right. The people expected William to be the palate cleanser, and he became the key to the monarchy’s future survival. William knew that, which is why he constantly leveraged that threat for his own benefit. No one expected or thought that things would wind up this way. Then again, no one expected or thought, when Charles first became Prince of Wales, that he would wind up becoming as unpopular as he did. People can’t predict the future, although that doesn’t really stop them from trying does it.

  39. Le4Frimaire says:

    All I have to say is I hope Charles stays healthy for the next 20 years or so.

  40. Nic919 says:

    I guess we have to wonder if there will be lawsuits threatened by KP based on all these rage monster stories. They are likely true enough that a libel action can’t happen but based on recent behaviour re Tatler they aren’t afraid to go that route.

    It will be very interesting to see how they respond to this.

    • Becks1 says:

      Yup. These stories do way more damage to the Cambridges than a story about Kate’s family being “new money” or whatever. The response, if any, will be interesting. I’m also wondering about BP not reading the book to give any comments. I wonder if they had any idea what was in there.

  41. JanetDR says:

    I’m always wondering if things would be different if the Queen stepped down…

  42. CC says:

    Kate reminds me of my mom. My dad was a raging alcoholic, and she would immediately submit to it to “get it over with”. She then takes us the kids away and makes sure we’re okay. She’s not a weakling though, the woman was really tough on us.

    I hate assuming the psychology of the royals but I honestly think this is the case here. Kate “calms” him down in the sense that she’s his friend and is probably less afraid to reel him in if needed. Does that mean she’s an equal partner? Not really. But I do think she has some power in the relationship. And I do think there’s fondness there, even with the affair. Idk, people are weird like that.

    Her parenting may mirror Diana. She is the nurturing affectionate mom but may risk parentifying/spousifying her kids by venting to them.

    Ugh, I’m sad this is the way the family is now. If they were much better, Meghan could have been a kick ass friend and moral support for her.

  43. Kirilli says:

    Wow by no mean I am a fan of William, but I think the choice of words to describe William behavior is somewhat “dramatic” sometimes. I yelled at my mom when I was 14, sue me. I wouldn’t describe it as “incandescent rage”. Sure, it’s not appropriate as a grown man to yell at anyone, but sometimes I wonder if “stiff upper lip” has to do something with the interpretation of his behaviour by those writers. Basically if you’re speaking your mind and not appear completely in control, you are deemed as “difficult”. Emotional intelligence is seriously lacking from every part.

    • lanne says:

      A 6ft 3 man screaming at the top of his lungs–not a high school kid–a grown ass man screaming at his elderly father and stepmother. No one’s going to sue you for yelling as a 14 year old, but William’s almost 40, not 14. This is NOT OKAY. It’s not “dramatic.” I seriously worry for you, a complete internet stranger, if you think a grown man screaming at another adult is okay. “Stiff Upper Lip” has nothing to do with rage–and rage isn’t our word at a gossip site–it’s how William has been described by courtiers and journalists.

    • MsIam says:

      Nah, William has a bad rep. I read stories years ago about how William terrorized the staff at BP. It sounds like it’s gotten worse as he has gotten older and more entitled.

  44. lily says:

    There is an anecdote that Diana told as a joke but in retrospective already gave alarm signals: Diana was called to school because as a child William threatened a classmate to lock him up in the Tower and send him to be beheaded when he became king. The poor boy couldn’t stop crying.

    The book is not complimentary to William. It is showing his true colors, FF was very polite and nothing close to harm the RF like this one. wonder if Charles is behind this.

    • NotSoSimpleTaylor says:

      Then Charles has given up on being King because he doesn’t look great in this either and owns up to being a horrid parent. I tend to agree but he’s doing so at the cost of his reputation which is odd and tells me either he’s had a shift in values or William is truly that bad that the monarchy is better off not surviving.

  45. Cachinak says:

    I bet he exhudes such temper towards Kate. If he goes off that handle with his father and late mother, I’m sure he has with his wife.

  46. lanne says:

    I wonder what the journalistic response will be to this book, if any. Will the journalistic powers that be ignore how William’s described? William’s been described as full of rage before–will it go ignored by so-called impartial journalists? I would think there’s a story there–our FFKing is a raging bully. Or is it okay because he has a pretty wife, pretty kids, and blue blood? If (and BIG IF here–I’m being hypothetical) Will was physically abusive, would the Powers That Be cover it up? Of course the palaces would, but would journalists not cover the story? Is British journalism completely beholden to the RF?

  47. aquarius64 says:

    This book should put a pall on the monarchy. I bet Charles wishes Harry was born first. Meghan would have made an awesome Queen Consort.

  48. Anna says:

    Entitled asshole. Gross.

  49. Anna says:

    Also, Kate is telling him to “Let it go”??? Like she let go of the rosebushes reporting? 🤣🤣🤣

  50. Nyro says:

    So William is basically a narc rage monster. The fact that they tried to project this behavior onto Meghan pisses me off. There she was, with a stellar reputation after twenty years in a highly competitive, and gossipy, industry. These people painted her as a rage monster, cursing out Kate and the courtiers at the drop of a dime. And they did it because they knew no matter how great her reputation was, people would believe the worst because “angry black woman”. And yet the whole time, it’s William who’s ranting and raving at people to the point that folks are frightened of him. This is all so F’d up. I don’t know how the Sussexes lasted as long as they did. Those people are foul!

  51. Mrs. Smith says:

    Do you all remember that video of William yelling at Kate by the helicopter a few years ago? She was wearing a yellow dress. Anyway, W&K we’re standing near the helicopter off to the side and you can see him yelling at her, wagging his finger and really raking her over the coals. She seemed hurt/stunned and looked totally chastised. The context seemed to be something that “she had done something wrong” but you can’t hear what’s said due to the noise. It was an eye opener. And it’s been scrubbed from the internet. I can’t find it anymore!

    • cc says:

      There was another occasion also. I think it may also have been scrubbed. I remember they were standing together, maybe on the balcony, he said something and she was clearly crying. I can’t find it anywhere either.

    • Chrissy says:

      I remember that. I think it was on some tour. As I recall, I think the consensus was that he was putting her straight about her wearing inappropriate dresses that would inevitably fly up exposing her bare ass whenever descending from a plane or being caught in a gust of wind. It even happened at some outdoor memorial service in India when she flashed a soldier after laying a wreath. Anyway, it happened repeatedly and became the topic of conversation on this site.

      • Lady D says:

        That India trip was where the soldier on the tarmac was trying to hold her dress down with the butt of his rifle. He looked so embarrassed and shocked. She also showed everyone her ass getting off the plane for the Calgary Stampede, and then refusing to put on the traditional white cowboy hats that were a gift from Alberta. Everyone was standing around the plane waiting to take pictures of them in their hats, and they just flat out decided not to wear them. Maybe they didn’t read their unimportant notes again?

    • notasugarhere says:

      She was wearing a blue and white dress, no weights, no slip, no undies to get off a helicopter. Reporter got a full ass shot to the waist because Kate chose to dress that way.

      We don’t know if he was yelling at her about that, or if he was merely trying to speak over the sound of the helo blades. He’s never appeared to have a problem with her exhibitionism, so I doubt the story of him ‘screaming at her’ put together with a handful of images and no video.

  52. Feeshalori says:

    I think that particular situation was in regards to Kate’s yellow dress flying up over her head at a windy airfield revealing all and sundry. That was when she was refusing to weight her hems down. William may have been in a blistering temper over that.

    • notasugarhere says:

      That was a different occasion, as was her wearing a floating floral dress to a different airfield. He didn’t yell at her on those occasions. I’ve seen the pics from the blue-and-white dress and helo incident. From those pics, we cannot tell if he is ‘screaming at her’ about something or just trying to be heard over the helo.

      This about it. If William had a ‘blistering temper’ over her flashing? She wouldn’t have flashed dozens of times on the job. He’s always enjoyed the Middleton exhibitionism, including Pippa and Carole repeatedly being topless around him.

  53. NiqGee says:

    I’m curious about what they hope to achieve with this book? What is the intended goal? Because William is not looking great and all the others look pretty weak, spineless and petty. This is making the Sussexes look like the only wise ones to ditch this madness as soon as possible.

    • NotSoSimpleTaylor says:

      That may be the point. It’s looking more likely the UK is on the path of republicanism. Brexit, Covid, the departure of the only family member the public could relate to, Republican getting more and more press spell trouble at the end of Elizabeth’s reign. If Harry didn’t see the writing on the wall, Meghan did and no way was she going to be the Marie Antoinette in any situation, though I suspect that the Windsors will bow out quietly into the night and if/when the time comes for the UK parliament to rid themselves of a monarchy.

  54. NotSoSimpleTaylor says:

    Sorry lots of comments from me today but I wanted to just add Camilla looks terrified to be near William. Her body language suggests fear (of William) and wanting to get away from the person she’s near despite putting on a happy face.

    I think there is a certain level of behavior that the royals can get away with. I mean I think given they are human and it’s reasonable to want to hide some misdeeds especially in a kids will be kids or a teenager is in admit of rebellion. I don’t think there is anything wrong with doing that until the kids are adults and old enough to fully understand their position. The fact they need to hide issues as an adults is what’s concerning.

    What I’m reading here is that William’s temper and personality are beyond even the Windsor boundaries and are causing serious concerns that courtiers and other royals can’t keep hiding. It may be better to control how this information comes out than continue to hide it. I also think deep down both Elizabeth and Charles know that the monarchy will barely survive to 2030 and not make it to 2050 so I think there is a level of throwing in the towel that we’re seeing here and just being honest. I’m wondering if in their minds the monarchy ending is preferable to William being King.

  55. Cait says:

    Does anyone remember that trip to Poland where William infront of everyone screamed in Kates face while everyone around them looked horrified ? Or when they arrived in India ,William again is seen screaming at Kate , or in New Zealand entering de helicopter when Kate flashed again ? Theses are only a few incidents that where captured on camera image what he is like in private ?

  56. Gobo says:

    Who benefits from this? Charles most likely. During the 90s in the UK there was a common opinion that he should be skipped over in favour of his son. I mean. it doesn’t work like that anyway, but as Elizabeth becomes increasingly infirm this could be Charles seeking to validate public opinion in his favour.

  57. Donna says:

    After reading some of these posts, if it is true Charles is leaking this info, and it’s true about William’s personality, if the monarch wants to continue to exist, william needs to abdicate, and allow Harry & his family to operate the monarch. I wonder if this is why Queen Elizabeth pushed Harry all the way out, so william, no KP can control him/his family.

    • NotSoSimpleTaylor says:

      It doesn’t work like that. If it did, the Queen’s youngest Edward would be the next in line and is the most fit. If my limited understanding of the UK constitution is correct, the best case scenario is that William would be declared “unfit” and skipped over in favor of George but is highly unlikely nonetheless. At this point there would have to be plane crash that took out all the Cambridges before Harry had a shot.

  58. Mustlovedogs says:

    “Narcissistic rage can be defined as intense anger, aggression, or passive-aggression when a narcissist experiences a setback or disappointment, which shatters his (or her) illusions of grandiosity, entitlement, and superiority, and triggers inner inadequacy, shame, and vulnerability…” From Psychology Today, 2018. I was a child of a narcissistic parent. His behaviour is frighteningly familiar to me.

  59. Charfromdarock says:

    All of these excepts makes Charles look ineffectual and Cain abusive and neither suitable for leadership.

    Maybe Lacey is a secret Republican and is trying to bring it all down.

  60. Mariane says:

    The above comments above recognising how lacy is dancing around the word ABUSE is spit on. I’ll remind everyone that the palace has a habit of strenuously denying true stories(charles affair, Williams affair, William bullying harry…).
    As someone above highlights, the fact that William slipped and outright said that he doesnt see the kids much is clue that kate lives with the kids separately and they probably meet around weekends