King Charles has well and truly dedicated his life to serving the crown. At times his commitment has cost him greatly, for example, his royal duties have taken a toll on his family life. Now, with the benefit of hindsight, the king is warning his eldest son, Prince William, not to make the same mistake he did.
According to an article from the Mirror, a royal expert claims that there has been a drastic shift in the monarchy in the last few years. King Charles reportedly made an emotional plea to his son in which he advised William not to follow in his footsteps when it comes to prioritizing the crown over one’s family.
Recent events have shown the importance of family
Charles’ youngest son, Prince Harry, chose to put his own family first and step away from royal duties over five years ago now. The fallout from that as well as Charles’ decision to put the crown first instead of his son have made things pretty tense. It came to a head recently with Prince Harry’s court appeal for security in the U.K.
Harry stated that his father could have done something about the Home Office decision but refused to do so. The king chose the crown over family in this case. Charles has continued to keep his distance from Harry even after the conclusion of the court case. In an interview with the BBC the prince claimed that his father would not speak with him. It seems the crown still comes first for the king.
King Charles has urged Prince William to put family first
Since Middleton’s diagnosis last year, William has taken a step back from royal duties. Even now, after it was announced Kate was in remission, the prince has not been seen performing too many royal duties. His work shyness has actually led to some criticism. But surprisingly it turns out he has the complete support of Charles who apparently encouraged him to prioritize his family.
The Channel 5 documentary, William and Catherine: Putting Family First, gives an in-depth look at the couple’s life. Editor of Majesty Magazine, Ingrid Seward claims that “Charles said to William, ‘Please don’t make the mistake that I made’ and ‘I want you to enjoy your family life’.” She went on to say that “Charles was very insistent about this because he said, ‘I was so dedicated to duty, I couldn’t make way for family life in the way that I should’ve done’ and that’s what William did.”
Perhaps the fallout between Charles and his youngest son has opened his eyes, or maybe other events from recent years have given him more perspective. The death of both Prince Philip and Queen Elziabeth will have no doubt had an effect on him.
Last year also saw King Charles diagnosed with cancer. Around the same time William’s wife, Kate Middleton, was also diagnosed and began her battle with cancer. It’s been a tumultuous time for the royals, it’s not entirely surprising that the king should re-evaluate what’s truly important in life.
Published: May 19, 2025 09:55 am