A royal expert has warned that as Queen Elizabeth’s lengthy reign comes to an end, there could be a clash between Prince Charles and his son, Prince William, as they come to terms with different roles and duties.
The Queen first came to the throne way back in 1952 when Harry Truman was still in the White House, and since then, she has been the living embodiment of stability and stiff upper-lip-ness. Even as chaos seems to revolve around her own family and sometimes the world, she has been the one constant we could all rely upon.
Unfortunately, the 95-year-old can’t go on forever, and as Her Majesty’s health has stumbled a bit in the last few weeks, thoughts have inevitably turned to her successors.
Unless there are some unforeseen tragic events, Elizabeth’s son, Prince Charles, will become King, and he will then be followed by William. (Fans of Harry might be disappointed that he is unlikely ever to be King as he’s way down the list at 6th in line.)
Family discord may rise as Charles and William switch roles
However, royal author Penny Junor has warned that when Charles becomes King and William takes over his dad’s old role as the Prince of Wales, that this could bring about more tension and discord to the family.
Speaking to Newsweek, Junor said: “I think it’s always going to be a little bit difficult. They [Charles and William] are two people doing a very similar job. With all fathers and sons, I think there’s an element of competition, the older man not really wanting to step over just yet and let the younger take his crown.”
The author of a Camilla Parker Bowles biography also added: “I think that’s always going to be a slight issue. I think they’re closer than they were, and they’re both pulling very much in the same direction.”
Both the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge recently attended the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, which centered around a topic that is important to both men.
Reports of previous tension between Princes Charles and William
However, there have been reports of serious tension between the two royals. This year royal biographer Robert Lacey noted in his book Battle of Brothers: William and Harry – The Inside Story of a Family in Tumult that Camilla had been shocked after witnessing “earth-shattering” rows between Charles and William after joining the Royal family in 2015.
There have also been calls for the crown to maybe skip a generation and go straight to William, thereby bypassing his father. Proponents of this view point to Charles’s advancing years, he turned 73 this month, and also argue that William and especially Kate are more popular with the public.
Charles and William are already performing more and more duties that were traditionally done by Her Majesty, such as traveling abroad on behalf of the Crown or the UK Government. They have also been conducting investitures, which are the formal ceremonies where ranks and honors (such as knighthoods) are conferred on loyal subjects.