Many would’ve forgiven the Prince of Wales for wanting to lay low during this time of crisis for his family. His wife, the Princess of Wales, is continuing her slow recovery from abdominal surgery, and his father, King Charles, is being treated for cancer.
WATCH: William’s cheeky comment to Kate caught on camera
Yet in spite of this, Prince William, 41, has maintained a heavy work schedule and, in a highly unusual move for a royal of his seniority, offered commentary on two touchy topics.
“Even though he has so much on his plate right now, it’s as if William is taking this opportunity to set out his stall in terms of what kind of King he will one day be,” a source tells New Idea.
“He’s showing that – much like his late mother Princess Diana – he’s unafraid to speak on subjects that may be considered to be politically sensitive.”
Last week, William announced plans to build 24 houses to support the homeless on Duchy of Cornwall land in South West England.
While William has long been the patron of homelessness charity Centrepoint, this tangible effort to tackle a growing problem in the UK has seen him accused of meddling in politics.
“We elect the government to run the country,” one disgruntled commenter griped online after the announcement was made.
However, it was the prince’s call for the “fighting to end as soon as possible”, and his statement that “too many have been killed” in the current Israel-Gaza conflict that has clearly established when he becomes monarch, he won’t be afraid to speak out.
While his extraordinarily personal words were sanctioned by British government agencies ahead of their release, some critics claim Wills’ comments have risked causing diplomatic problems for Britain.
“Prince William wants to move away from mere platitudes,” royal insider Richard Kay wrote in the Daily Mail. “In a few short words …William’s view on the conflict strayed perilously close to entering a political and diplomatic minefield.”
It’s a very long way from his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth’s stance. In her day, the Queen rarely, if ever, shared her personal thoughts on the many global political upheavals she was witness to during the course of her 70-year reign.
“William is the de facto ‘deputy’ King,” Kay wrote. “If ever he needed the steady-as-you-go approach of the late Queen, it was surely on [this issue].”
However, William, who is known to possess a stubborn streak, won’t be dissuaded from speaking out.
“He’s sending out a clear signal that his reign will be very different from that of his grandmother’s and father’s,” our source adds.
