Now that I’ve seen Prince William’s episode of The Reluctant Traveler, it’s pretty funny to watch all of the royal rota run around and claim that this interview was so huge, so groundbreaking and so significant. While significant things did happen within the interview, the rota absolutely refuses to discuss those parts. For example, William’s overeagerness to talk about what he’ll do once his father dies. That was significant (and macabre). William’s lack of interest in British history, royal history or any history was also pretty significant, as was William’s ability to spend an entire day with an AppleTV film crew because William literally had nothing else to do. Anyway, Becky English at the Daily Mail was one of the first rota stenographers tasked with Kensington Palace’s clean-up. She wrote a long-winded piece about how William is not afraid to “challenge tradition.” It’s not so much that he’s challenging tradition, it’s that he’s too stupid and poorly educated to understand tradition, history, politics, diplomacy, etc. But I digress. Some highlights from Becky’s piece:
The work-from-home king’s magical monarchy: Want to know the one thing that really pushes Prince William’s buttons? It’s the suggestion, ‘Well, we’ve always done it this way’. That’s not to say the future king is racing to turn his back on 1,000 years of pomp, pageantry and history when he accedes to the throne. As one source tells me: ‘He very much believes in tradition and the magic of the monarchy.’ But there’s no doubt that he is aching to afford some serious change. And he certainly won’t be afraid to question why things are done in the way they are – and whether they are still relevant to the institution today.
William has to be treated gently, like a baby bunny: The programme’s gentle, conversational format works well. And while Levy isn’t a journalist asking the questions we would all dearly love to know the answers to (the only mention of Harry comes from William when he talks about the media pressures they were subjected to as boys), neither does the interviewer shy away from difficult subjects, including the Princess of Wales’ illness and what he feels about Prince George becoming King. William comes across at times as really very vulnerable, possibly the most human we have ever seen him on camera.
His weight loss: He looks decidedly gaunt, it has to be said: a sign, I think, of the strain he has been under over the last year and a half supporting his wife, both practically and emotionally, and protecting their children. His voice appears to crack at one point as he talks of how difficult this time has been. This has, of course, been gravely complicated by his father’s cancer diagnosis. While William says in the programme that the King is clearly a man who can take of himself, it’s obvious he also worries hugely about him. And his father’s illness has meant he has had to live with the fear – God forbid – that should Charles’ health take a turn for the worse, his own carefully constructed family unit will change irrevocably.
William ignores California! This hasn’t been helped by the repeated sniping he receives from California. It’s something William studiously ignores, but has not helped his general sense of wellbeing.
William’s big kingship plans: When Levy suggests that the monarchy will be ‘shifting in a slightly different direction’, William doesn’t shirk the question and replies firmly: ‘I think it’s safe to say that change is on my agenda. Change for good. And I embrace that… I don’t fear it. That’s the bit that excites me… the idea of being able to bring some change. Not overly radical change, but changes that I think need to happen. ‘ And that’s the bit that will get everyone talking. The heir doesn’t flesh out what he means, and nor is anyone around him, although my sources stress that ‘all the things like garden parties and Trooping the Colour will very much still be part of the picture’. Suggestions he won’t have a coronation are strongly denied, although I think it’s safe to say it will be pared down from even his father’s more streamlined version.
William just likes to question things! ‘I think when people say he doesn’t want a coronation it’s more of a statement of wishes than intent,’ one observer says. ‘When he thinks about change, it’s very much in the guise of questioning how things are done, much like he’s done with the Duchy of Cornwall since taking it over. If the answer is, “But we’ve always done it like that”, his answer will inevitably be, “But why?”‘
This whole thing of “William will be different, when he’s king, he’ll streamline everything and cut out all of the fussy sh-t he doesn’t like” is connected to the conversations about the Sussexes’ titles. Because once you start stripping away the silly/bonkers setpieces of monarchy, you leave people questioning why ANY of it matters. Either every part of the monarchy is modern enough to exist in 2025 or none of it is. Either all of the Windsors have special royal blood or none of them do.
I enjoy the real-time backtracking on William’s coronation though – Peggy’s been talking about his coronation since the day after his father’s Chubbly. In 2023, he thought all of it was stupid and he wanted something without all of the fruity costumes. It sounds like his handlers are still trying to convince him that he’s still going to wear the fakakta robes and actually put the crown on his big bald head. Also: what do we think about reporters now openly talking about his weight loss? I still say that part of his weight loss was because they tried to dry him out last year. Similar to how they try to dry out Camilla every four or five months.
Photos courtesy of AppleTV .
