Prince William has opened up about his upbringing alongside Prince Harry, offering rare personal insights while reflecting on how those experiences have shaped his vision of fatherhood. Speaking on a new episode of The Reluctant Traveller With Eugene Levy, the Prince of Wales shared that growing up in the royal spotlight taught him lessons he now applies in raising his children.
Without going into detail, William hinted at challenges both he and Harry faced as young royals. He suggested that certain experiences should not be repeated, as he takes a different approach with his own family. “I want to create a world in which my son [Prince George] is proud of what we do, a world and a job that actually does impact people’s lives for the better,” William said.
For the first time in a while, he mentioned Harry directly. “That is caveated with, I hope we don’t go back to some of the practices in the past, that Harry and I had to grow up in – and I’ll do everything I can to make sure we don’t regress in that situation,” he explained.
While careful not to criticize openly, William’s remarks appeared to reference King Charles’ parenting style and the pressures of royal duty. He emphasized his desire to “avoid the mistakes” of the past. “I think it’s safe to say that change is on my agenda.
Change for good. And I embrace that and I enjoy that change – I don’t fear it,” William said. “That’s the bit that excites me, the idea of being able to bring some change. Not overly radical change, but changes that I think need to happen.”
The Prince of Wales also reflected on the weight of royal history and its impact on those within the institution. “I think if you’re not careful, history can be a real weight and an anchor around you, and you can feel suffocated by it, and restricted by it too much,” he said.
“And I think it’s important to live for the here and now. I think if you’re too intrinsically attached to the history, you can’t possibly have any flexibility, because you worry that the chess pieces move too much and therefore no change will happen – and I like a little bit of change.”
William’s comments underline his determination to balance tradition with progress, a balance he hopes will define both his reign and his children’s futures.