The Prince of Wales ignored questions about his uncle’s controversial new memoir as he arrived at a community cinema in Acton this week, walking straight past waiting reporters without comment.
William, 44, appeared composed in a navy suit and tie, giving no indication that he intended to involve himself in the controversy surrounding Earl Spencer’s book, Swan Song.
His response reflected the long-standing royal approach of keeping public complaints and explanations to a minimum.
That unwritten rule has faced mounting pressure in recent years, particularly after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s televised interviews and Earl Spencer’s latest disclosures. In the memoir, he claims King Charles appeared “giddily elated” during a telephone conversation following the death of Diana, and alleges that the monarch was in love with his valet.
Buckingham Palace responded with an unusually forceful statement, casting doubt on the account and warning that grief can “cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory”.
William, who was just 15 when he walked behind his mother’s coffin, has nevertheless shown no desire to be drawn into the latest family dispute.
Although his silence could be interpreted as detachment, royal observers believe his decision not to respond is rooted in something more personal.
The future king has previously discussed the emotional strain of 2024, a year in which both his wife, the Princess of Wales, and his father were diagnosed with cancer. During an appearance on Apple TV’s The Reluctant Traveler, he called it “probably the hardest year of my life”.
William has previously described the emotional toll of 2024, when cancer diagnoses affected both the Princess of Wales and King Charles
“It’s been dreadful, it’s probably been the hardest year of my life, so trying to keep everything on track has been really difficult,” he said.
Royal commentator Phil Dampier said the experience appears to have strengthened William and Catherine’s resolve to draw a firm line around their family’s private life.
“William and Kate have had a policy of never complain, never explain,” he said. “We saw it earlier this week when a reporter asked him [about the book] and he didn’t reply, and that’s the way they’re going to play it.”
Dampier added: “William had the worst year of his life, which he has talked about himself. He had all the problems of Harry and Prince Andrew swirling about, causing problems for the monarchy that he will be heading in not a very long time.”
There have been rare occasions when William has broken with that cautious tradition. After Harry and Meghan accused the royal family of racism during their Oprah Winfrey interview, he addressed the issue directly, telling a reporter: “We are very much not a racist family.”
For the most part, however, William and Catherine have presented a carefully controlled public image. They believe that approach gives their three children the best chance of enjoying a relatively ordinary upbringing despite growing up under intense media scrutiny, described by Dampier as living in a “goldfish bowl”.
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“William is preparing for when he becomes king and he’s setting the standard for how he wants to play it,” Dampier said.
“The worst year of his life gave him perspective and inner strength. Catherine’s got that inner contentment that she’s seen off the worst. I think both of them, having come through that, are stronger for it.”
William discussed the difficult events of 2024 on Apple TV’s The Reluctant Traveler (pictured), describing the period as “probably the hardest year of my life” after cancer diagnoses affected his wife and father
He continued: “Their priorities are first and foremost family and making sure the three kids have a normal background considering the goldfish bowl in which they live.”
But beneath William’s measured public manner is a determined and forceful personality—qualities that Dampier believes could significantly influence the British monarchy when he eventually takes the throne.
He points to something as seemingly trivial as William’s refusal to wear a kilt in Scotland.
When the Prince visited the Isle of Bute last week, he opted for an anorak, despite his father being renowned for donning a kilt whenever he is north of the border.
‘He doesn’t want to and has never been seen wearing a kilt in Scotland, whereas King Charles will don a kilt at the drop of a hat,’ Dampier said.
‘William doesn’t like wearing them and once he’s made his mind up, he tends to stick to it. If he doesn’t want to wear a kilt, he won’t.’
That quiet stubbornness could prove significant when William eventually inherits the throne.
Earlier this month, he and Catherine escorted their eldest son George to Eton, the same school where William himself was educated and prepared for his future role.
The image inevitably recalled 1995, when Diana, dressed in a chic blue suit, accompanied her eldest son to the Berkshire school as he began his journey towards adulthood.
Now William has come full circle. With his father entering old age and the crown edging ever closer, the Prince of Wales is increasingly conscious of the weight of history and of his mother’s legacy.
But rather than being drawn into the dramas that once consumed the Royal Family, William appears intent on doing things his own way: quietly, firmly and away from the headlines.