The Prince of Wales offered no response to questions about his uncle’s controversial memoir as he arrived at a community cinema in Acton this week, walking straight past waiting reporters.
William, 44, appeared composed in a navy suit and tie, giving no indication that he intended to become involved in the uproar surrounding Earl Spencer’s new book, Swan Song.
His decision to remain silent reflected the royal family’s long-standing approach: never complain and never explain.
That tradition has come under mounting pressure in recent years, particularly after Prince Harry and Meghan’s televised interviews and the claims published in Earl Spencer’s memoir. Among the book’s allegations are that King Charles sounded “giddily elated” during a phone call following the death of Diana, and that he had been in love with his valet.
Buckingham Palace responded with an unusually direct statement, casting doubt on Spencer’s version of events and warning that grief can “cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory”.
William, who was just 15 when he walked behind his mother’s coffin, nevertheless appears intent on keeping the latest family controversy at a distance.
His refusal to comment could be mistaken for detachment, but people familiar with the royal household suggest that a deeper and more personal motive may be behind his silence.
The Prince has previously spoken about the emotional strain of 2024, when both his wife, the Princess of Wales, and his father were diagnosed with cancer. In Apple TV’s The Reluctant Traveler, William called it “probably the hardest year of my life”.
William has described 2024 as an exceptionally difficult period after both the Princess of Wales and King Charles were diagnosed with cancer
“It’s been dreadful, it’s probably been the hardest year of my life, so trying to keep everything on track has been really difficult,” he said.
Royal commentator Phil Dampier believes the experience strengthened William and Catherine’s resolve to shield their personal lives from public scrutiny.
“William and Kate have had a policy of never complain, never explain,” he said. “We saw it earlier this week when a reporter asked him [about the book] and he didn’t reply, and that’s the way they’re going to play it.”
Dampier added: “William had the worst year of his life, which he has talked about himself. He had all the problems of Harry and Prince Andrew swirling about, causing problems for the monarchy that he will be heading in not a very long time.”
There have been rare occasions when William has departed from the usual royal silence. After Harry and Meghan made allegations of racism during their Oprah Winfrey interview, he answered a reporter by declaring: “We are very much not a racist family.”
For the most part, however, William and Catherine have presented a carefully controlled public image. They believe that discipline helps give their three children as normal an upbringing as possible, despite growing up under the intense attention of the media and public.
“William is preparing for when he becomes king and he’s setting the standard for how he wants to play it,” Dampier said.
“The worst year of his life gave him perspective and inner strength. Catherine’s got that inner contentment that she’s seen off the worst. I think both of them, having come through that, are stronger for it.”
William has spoken about the emotional toll of 2024, when his wife, the Princess of Wales, and his father were both diagnosed with cancer. During Apple TV’s The Reluctant Traveler (pictured), he described the period as “probably the hardest year of my life”
“Their priorities are first and foremost family and making sure the three kids have a normal background considering the goldfish bowl in which they live,” he said.
Still, the Prince’s restrained public manner conceals a notably determined personality—one that Dampier believes could have a significant influence on the monarchy when William eventually takes the throne.
He points to something as seemingly trivial as William’s refusal to wear a kilt in Scotland.
When the Prince visited the Isle of Bute last week, he opted for an anorak, despite his father being renowned for donning a kilt whenever he is north of the border.
‘He doesn’t want to and has never been seen wearing a kilt in Scotland, whereas King Charles will don a kilt at the drop of a hat,’ Dampier said.
‘William doesn’t like wearing them and once he’s made his mind up, he tends to stick to it. If he doesn’t want to wear a kilt, he won’t.’
That quiet stubbornness could prove significant when William eventually inherits the throne.
Earlier this month, he and Catherine escorted their eldest son George to Eton, the same school where William himself was educated and prepared for his future role.
The image inevitably recalled 1995, when Diana, dressed in a chic blue suit, accompanied her eldest son to the Berkshire school as he began his journey towards adulthood.
Now William has come full circle. With his father entering old age and the crown edging ever closer, the Prince of Wales is increasingly conscious of the weight of history and of his mother’s legacy.
But rather than being drawn into the dramas that once consumed the Royal Family, William appears intent on doing things his own way: quietly, firmly and away from the headlines.
