Prince William was given a special privilege by his father, King Charles, during the tough few weeks that endured after the royal health bombshells dropped earlier this year, a royal expert has claimed.
The Prince of Wales has not had the best start to 2024 as his father was diagnosed with cancer after being admitted to hospital for an enlarged prostate operation and his wife, Princess Kate, underwent abdominal surgery.
Now royal expert Ingrid Seward claimed the heir to the throne William was given Charles’s blessing and permission to take a short break from public duties to look after his family while his wife was recovering.
She told Hello!’s A Right Royal Podcast: “Charles always put duty first because that’s what his mother did. And that’s what Diana decided she wouldn’t do.
“I think Charles has encouraged William to spend more time with the family and also said to William, ‘I don’t want you to take on any royal duties until you absolutely have to’ because you remember we criticised William the work-shy?
“And that was his father very much saying, ‘You don’t have to do this, be with your young family.
“‘Enjoy it while you can. You’ve got years and years and years of royal duties to do.'”
In Jonathan Dimbleby’s Prince of Wales: A Biography the late Queen and Prince Philip were described as “emotionally distant” parents.
The expert added the monarch wants his eldest son to “enjoy his wife and family as much as he’s able to do so within the restrictions of what he’s doing.”
After the Palace announcements, the Prince of Wales postponed some of his engagements so he could fully support Princess Kate during her recovery in hospital. He didn’t return to work until she was settled at home in Windsor.
He was also focused on looking after their children Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five.
Since then, he’s made a few appearances, including last Sunday’s Baftas, where he apologised for Kate’s absence.
He said: “I am sorry Catherine’s not here, she does love the BAFTAs.”
