On Monday, Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy was back in England, and he was given yet another photo-op with King Charles. British sentiment has always been solidly behind Ukraine, and Charles seems to always be up for anything to do with supporting Ukraine and Ukrainian interests. Charles hosted Zelenskyy at Windsor Castle, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted Zelenskyy at Downing Street. These meetings and photocalls occurred ahead of a two-day NATO summit at The Hague. Notably, Donald Trump is already on his way to the summit too. Get comfortable with the phrase “Trump is in The Hague.”
As I noted in an earlier story about Prince William’s plans to attend some football matches in July, I find it interesting that William wasn’t invited to participate in this photocall with Zelenskyy. Was William not invited, or did he just refuse to go? No one is saying, but this is exactly the kind of soft-diplomacy which Charles was known for when he was Prince of Wales. William would rather tell everyone that he has no respect for his father or his father’s reign, and that William plans to do everything differently when he’s king, including barking at prime ministers and aiming for a Medieval-vibe at his coronation. Well, two Charles-loyalists have come out to note that Charles was very likely displeased with William’s “I’m gonna be king soon” birthday profile.
King Charles III “may be just a little bit hurt” by briefings to a major U.K. newspaper that Prince William wants to transform the monarchy, a royal author has told Newsweek. The Sunday Times reported that, according to sources close to William, he wants “an evolution not a revolution” when his time on the throne arrives and wants to make sure the Monarchy has “even more impact.”
Ingrid Seward, author of Charles book My Mother and I, told Newsweek: “His father may be just a little bit hurt by some of these remarks. Understanding but yes, William is right that in order to survive the monarchy has to adapt, as Prince Philip said. This is exactly what William is going to do, he’s going to adapt and I think he’s right to do this. His father hates change, everyone tells me Charles hates change so I don’t think he’ll be 100 percent happy about what William is saying but I think he’d understand. It probably would have been best unsaid. Maybe these views are a little bit insensitive but it’s understandable that he should wish to express them.”
Robert Jobson, author of Catherine, the Princess of Wales: The Biography, told Newsweek: “It’s nothing really new. A bit odd his people keep talking about his reign. Normally not the thing to do. All monarchs can, and generally do, do things their own way within the constitutional perimeters.”
It really feels like William is his father’s biggest opp, even more than Harry. Harry’s comments about not knowing how much time Charles had left were emotional, and a heartfelt plea for reconciliation. Meanwhile, Charles’s actual heir has been behaving as if Charles already has one foot in the funeral pyre and good riddance. Anyway, “A bit odd his people keep talking about his reign. Normally not the thing to do” is actually pretty scathing from a Charles loyalist, as is “It probably would have been best unsaid.”
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
