Charles & William Just Confirmed Where They Stand After Reports They’re Not Speaking Over the Prince’s ‘Betrayal’ to the Crown’
King Charles’ issues with Prince Harry have been well-documented. But as the issues with Prince Harry have reportedly been getting better in the last few months, with the two even meeting in person for the first time in over a year in September, the relationship with his oldest son and heir, Prince William, has reportedly deteriorated. It’s like there’s gotta be drama somewhere.
However, whatever’s going on with father and son, they still know how to put on a good face together. That’s right, the two made a rare joint appearance on Thursday, October 9, at a reception ahead of the COP30 climate summit, which will be held in the Brazilian city of Belem. The Prince of Wales is set to attend the conference on behalf of King Charles.
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Both the King and Prince William have long been advocates of preserving nature. William’s own Earthshot awards will be held in Brazil ahead of the COP summit. So, if they were going to pick one event for a joint appearance, this one certainly makes sense.
Ironically, though, this comes as rumors of a possible feud between them have been swirling. Rob Shuter’s ShuterScoop recently reported that King Charles was upset about Prince William’s interview with Eugene Levy for his Apple TV+ series The Reluctant Traveler. During the show, William spoke candidly about his hopes for the future of the monarchy, and also about his childhood and what he views as mistakes of the past that he doesn’t want repeated.
Rumors are that King Charles did not take that well, to the point their relationship had “collapsed into silence.” Even then, Shuter reported that aides were trying to do everything possible to bring them back together for a “peace walk,” so this joint appearance isn’t a surprise. It also might not even mean anything about their relationship, since recent reports indicated that at this point “trust is shattered” between the two.
“The King sees it as betrayal, not honesty,” a source said about William’s remarks. Another one added, “It’s not just family tension—it’s about the Crown itself.”
Prince William and King Charles have reportedly not been seeing eye to eye about the monarchy in general for a while, and that has put strain on their relationship. With The Daily Beast reporting that their relationship these days is “tense, difficult, formal, and fraught,” and that “the vast majority of their communication is mediated by their private secretaries.”
Prince William spoke a little bit about his desire for change in his latest interview, but this has been going on for a while. One source told The Daily Beast that, “to William, continuing to run the monarchy as though it were still an Edwardian institution feels absurd. To Charles, his son’s more casual approach can feel like a lack of respect for duty and tradition.”
Then there’s the Prince Harry reunion, something Prince William was reportedly not on board with. King Charles chose to do it anyway.
All signs that the relationship might, at the very least, need some work. But considering the two are willing to appear together, it might not be as bad as some say.
