Queen Elizabeth II played an important role as the head of the Royal Family, serving as monarch for seven decades. During that time, she reportedly found commonality with her grandson, Prince William and the future he faced as King of England.
In his new book, William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story, royal expert Russell Myers discussed the special bond Queen Elizabeth II had with her grandson. As the Prince of Wales will one day inherit the throne, the late Queen reportedly felt connected to him and his life choices.
"The Queen felt there were deep parallels between her cherished time in Malta and William's determination to live in Wales for longer," Myers wrote. Basically, Elizabeth reportedly understood why William might want to live a quieter life with Princess Kate for a period of time, especially as he had such an important destiny ahead of him.
Myers continued, "The Queen certainly had sympathy with [William's] situation. Her direction was very much 'go and live your life,' but also to have one eye on the future, as you never know when things will change,' one former courtier said."
According to Myers, "William drew much comfort from his grandmother's words and felt emboldened to make the most of the opportunity that lay in front of him and Catherine, for as long as they could make it last." It would seem that, before responsibility truly set in, Prince William wanted to enjoy some normalcy with his wife.
Sadly, Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022; William's father, King Charles, subsequently took the throne. Now the heir apparent, Prince William has stepped into a more central role within the Royal Family. Still, it's clear that Queen Elizabeth's influence on Prince William helped steer his trajectory.
