He’s been praised for ditching the formality of royalty and letting people see his “typical bloke” side.
But insiders say Prince William’s more down-to-earth than most people realise – and that has some royal aides concerned. The Prince of Wales impressed many people who are not normally royal fans by unashamedly showing his delight when Aston Villa, the football team he supports, won the Europa League. He travelled to Istanbul for the game with a small group of close mates, and was seen crying and hugging them in the stands after the final whistle.
Social media was full of posts about how nice it was seeing him so relaxed and how they liked having a future king who could relate to “ordinary people”.
Palace insiders say William hanging out with his pals is not unusual, but that side of his life tends to be kept secret. He has a small group of very close friends who often socialise at each other’s homes, but also venture out in public occasionally, usually to private back rooms at upmarket pubs.
William, 43, who is said to be partial to a pint of Stella Artois, will sometimes don a disguise, such as a hat and sunglasses, and put on an “iffy Welsh accent” to avoid being recognised, according to one source.
“Their occasionally boisterous behaviour has to be toned down so as not to draw too much attention, but these are ‘let your hair down’ moments for William, who can’t act like this anywhere else.”
A prince who craves normality
He and his mates – including real estate executive Thomas van Straubenzee, 43, whom he has known since they were at pre-school together – also go away on a lads’ holiday once a year, usually skiing.
Nine years ago, William got into trouble with the late Queen when he skipped the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey to hit the slopes in Verbier, Switzerland, with his pals. Footage of him “dad dancing” in a nightclub went viral, earning him a written telling off from his grandmother.
Now, courtiers are worried that William’s desire to do everyday things like going to football matches and spending time on holiday with his mates means he may start preferring a normal life to his royal duties.
Questions over his priorities
One area of concern is that while he’ll happily jump on a plane to Türkiye for a football match, he seems less keen to travel for work. William is believed to have declined suggestions of a trip to Jamaica after a devastating hurricane in the Commonwealth country last October and the source says the UK Foreign Office is frustrated it hasn’t been able to get him on a plane to “spread some royal limelight”.
An insider says, “The big overseas trips he’s done have been exclusively to do with his Earthshot Prize, but he has made eight visits to watch rugby or football.”
Another royal insider says William’s engagements are carefully chosen by him and his team, and reflect his areas of focus, such as homelessness in the UK. He has also stayed closer to home over the past couple of years due to his wife and father having cancer. He’s always been open about wanting to balance his royal duties with family life, being there as much as he can for Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, eight, and giving them as normal a childhood as possible.
Lessons in ordinary life
Unlike the King, 77, who grew up in very rarefied circumstances and has little idea how most people really live, William’s had a close-up look at everyday life thanks to his in-laws, the Middletons. Spending time at their Berkshire home was eye-opening, especially in the early days of his and Catherine’s relationship.
He learned how to load the dishwasher and made a hash of setting the table for Christmas dinner.
“Laying a tablecloth was a struggle and placing the cutlery embarrassing,” reveals the source.
“That the Middletons had to nip to the shop for food, ensure there was enough bread in the house, empty their own bins and put out the recycling on the right day was all refreshing to him.”
These experiences helped when he and Catherine, 44, set up their first home together in Anglesey after they married, and he worked as an RAF search-and-rescue pilot. And today, they have very few staff in their homes, with those they do employ living off-site.
The insider says William’s determination to be as normal as he can – including spending time with mates with whom he can be his true self – makes him better at his royal role and will help him to be a more understanding monarch.
