In the wake of the former Prince Andrew's latest scandal, it's never been clearer that King Charles and Prince William are working together to ensure the future of the monarchy. The Prince of Wales has been an integral part in making decisions about Andrew's future, and he's taken on an increasingly statesman-like role in recent years. In the forthcoming royal biography The Windsor Legacy, royal journalist Robert Jobson explores the working relationship between The King and his heir—and what their personalities are like behind the scenes.
"These days, William and his father generally work well together," Jobson wrote in an excerpt from the new book serialized in the Daily Mail. "The King happily consults him, and largely trusts him to do what is right." However, the veteran journalist noted that "there is often an underlying tension between them."
"It doesn’t help that both have a fiery temper that’s not always held in check," Jobson wrote. "Working for Charles, some staff say, can be like ‘treading on eggshells.'"
Jobson says that royal aides recall a time when "Charles caught Covid—for the second time—in February 2022." The monarch was ready to go to his country house, Highgrove, when he tested positive, but became "incandescent" when "told he couldn’t travel to his country retreat." Reportedly, The King was so "frustrated" that he "even threatened to drive himself down the M4," prompting royal aides to go as far as to hide Charles's car keys.
The book also describes palace staff as cautious of Prince William's "mood swings." Jobson wrote that "Palace sources recall all too well an incident when the prince was over-assertive with his father—over a matter that William had completely misinterpreted." He added, "William may always appear to be composed in public, but insiders describe him as occasionally 'difficult to handle.'"
However, Jobson also noted that The King has become more warm with palace staffers following his 2024 cancer diagnosis. "Indeed, his longer-serving staff have detected a change in their employer, whom they feel could occasionally seem rather cold," the author wrote. "He’s now become more emotional, they say."
