William opens up about his future
The Prince of Wales bares his soul – and plans – to Eugene Levy
Prince William has opened up more than ever before to Canadian actor Eugene Levy, who met with the heir to the throne in Windsor, for his Apple TV series The Reluctant Traveller.
He got a guided tour of Windsor Castle by the Prince of Wales himself – hang on, why didn’t we get that when we visited recently? No matter – the TV chat proved super-revealing, as William declared his reign will be all-action: “Change is on my agenda. Change for good. I embrace that and I enjoy that change - I don’t fear it,” he said. He even turned up on an e-scooter to prove it.
Here’s a summary of what he said:
He wants to move the monarchy on: “I want to question things more. I think it’s very important that tradition stays … but there’s also points where you look at tradition and go is that still fit for purpose today?”
Last year was the hardest of his life: “I’d say 2024 was the hardest year that I’ve ever had. You know life is sent to test us … and being able to overcome that is what makes us who we are. I’m so proud of my wife and my father, for how they’ve handled all of last year. My children have managed brilliantly as well.”
None of his kids has a phone: William says none of his children are allowed to have a mobile phone, they insist on having dinner together every night and encourage sport. “Louis loves the trampoline … Charlotte does her netball … and her ballet. They’re trying to learn musical instruments. George loves his football and his hockey.”
He misses his grandparents: “I do miss my grandmother and my grandfather... you think about them not being here anymore and particularly being in Windsor, for me, Windsor is her. My grandfather was incredibly amusing … we had a lot of laughs and he had a great sense of humour, as did my grandmother.”
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Kate says Louis wants to be Top Gun
The Princess of Wales made her first visit to RAF Coningsby as Royal Honorary Air Commodore on Thursday. She learnt about the Lincolnshire station’s operations and met with personnel and their families. Catherine was shown a Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon aircraft, which is used to respond to threats in UK airspace and she had a go on a flight simulator. According to The Telegraph, she revealed Prince Louis wants to be a pilot. “I’m going to tell them it takes eight years and a lot of hard work,” she said. She looked the business in her Bella Freud pants suit, Alexander McQueen top and Stuart Weitzman heels.
Anne visits Zelensky in Ukraine
Our unstoppable fearless Princess Royal took a train to Ukraine on Tuesday to highlight the terrible experiences of children living and dying in the war-torn nation. During her unannounced visit in Kyiv, Anne also hand-delivered a personal letter to President Zelensky, believed to be from the King.
A “profoundly moved” Anne placed a teddy bear at the Children’s Memorial, which commemorates more than 650 killed since the 2022 Russian invasion. Touchingly, Anne told First Lady Olena Zelenska that her bear was “one that my daughter had”. After leaving Zara’s teddy as a tribute, she also visited St Sophia Cathedral and a rehabilitation centre for veterans.
The royals have never waivered in their support for Ukraine, with Charles meeting Zelensky several times. In April last year, Duchess Sophie was the first member of the family to visit since the invasion and Harry was there last month.
Charles’s moo-ving time
He may be a keen and talented gardener, but we’re pretty sure Charles saw the funny side when Poppy the pedigree cow made her ‘moove’ on his Clarence House box hedges.
“Don’t push her back into my boxed hedge,” Charles joked to Poppy’s sensible mature adult, Leighton Snelgrove. The award-winning breeding cow, from a Sussex farm, knocked over a table and headed into some hedges. Then, as soon as Charles’s back was turned, Poppy weed on the path.
Poppy was in town for the Tuesday reception celebrating Duchy Originals, the company set up by Charles 35 years ago supporting sustainable farming and small farmer selling organic items. Brilliantly, Duchy Originals sales have now contributed over £50 million to more than 1,000 good causes.
Farewell Dame Patricia - and arise Sir Gary!
This week we said “Vale, Dame Patricia Routledge”. The 96-year-old was a star of stage and screen, and much loved as Hyacinth Bucket in the BBC sitcom, Keeping Up Appearances. The show was an international success and within Palace walls, Dame Patricia once revealing: “It was one of the Queen Mother’s favourite sitcoms. And the late Queen Elizabeth liked it too.”
Meanwhile, another acting great, Gary Oldman, was knighted by Prince William at Windsor Castle this week. William told Sir Gary that he and Catherine were fans of Slow Horses, the Apple TV spy show (aren’t we all!). William joked that every time he saw Jackson Lamb [Gary’s Slow Horses character] he wants to give him a “good wash”. The actor replied “I scrubbed up okay” for this ceremony. See how Sir Gary was moved by his knighthood here.
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I loved hearing Prince William talk about the kids and what they get up to – behind the scenes, their family life does sound relatively normal. So nice to hear that Princess Charlotte goes to ballet as well - big fan of that!