Prince William's Reported Work-Shy Approach to His Royal Role Has Earned Him an Interesting Nickname
Prince William has grown up knowing that he has a sense of duty ahead of him as the heir to the royal family. His grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, took her role seriously in the 70 years she reigned, but there is a general sense that the Prince of Wales does not share her same respect for the throne.
William and his wife, Kate Middleton, have drawn clear boundaries and prioritized their family life to raise Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5. Most people would agree that this is a healthy choice for a young family that is in the public eye, but there’s a growing sense of confusion as to why Prince William takes on so few engagements. After Kate’s immediate medical crisis seemed to have passed, and the kids are in school for most of the day, why isn’t William out there in the public eye more with the monarchy stretched so thin right now?
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The press dubbed him “Work-Shy Willie” years ago because there is a perception that he prefers not to tackle a robust royal schedule. That nickname has stuck around, but there’s reportedly another surprising nickname from King Charles III’s inner circle that might be more worrisome. According to the Daily Mail, they call him the “10am to 4pm” prince because those are the only hours he will willingly work. The media outlet noted that it’s the Prince of Wales’ “stubborn nature” that is “contributing to the current sense of aimlessness” in his leadership role.
Prince William has planted the seeds for how he would like to reign as king, and anti-monarchists probably don’t want to hear that he wants to take on less royal patronages in the future. His plan is likely to invite more criticism about his work ethic, and that’s the last thing the royal family needs in a time of crisis. During his Singapore tour last November, the Prince of Wales discussed his desire to narrow his focus to “social leadership” to bring more meaningful change. “You have to remain focused, if you spread yourself too thin you just can’t manage it and you won’t deliver the impact or the change that you really want to happen,” he told the print media, via Roya Nikkhah, Royal Editor of The Sunday Times on X.
His plan not only invites criticism to the palace, but it could also impact many charities’ financial futures. “These comments will be very concerning to a lot of charities that have relied on their royal patrons for generations. It is almost impossible to raise any serious amount of money in Britain without a royal patron,” one philanthropist told The Daily Beast. So, William might want to take a step back and reassess his plan because his less-than-motivated reputation is following him to the throne.
Before you go, click here to see the best photos of Prince Harry and Prince William growing up together over the years.
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