In some ways, the Royal Family is just like any other family: They have their disagreements and their falling-outs and their skeletons in the closet.
But add to that the pressure of royal life and, for some of them, the promise of one day sitting on the throne, and it's easy to see how they came to maybe not have the most peaceful relationships with one another.
Apparently, though, some of the difficulties that Prince Charles has with both his sons, but especially with Prince William, stem from the two younger men's personalities, which are reminiscent of Princess Diana's.
"They both have quite extreme mood swings, just as Diana did," a former courtier told royal expert Robert Jobson for the Daily Mail. "She could be your best friend one minute and the next your worst enemy."
Prince William is reportedly hot-blooded, something his dad doesn't quite know how to manage. "In private, the Duke of Cambridge has a notably short fuse. His fiery temper can blow up at any time—usually when he’s frustrated or when it comes to issues regarding his family," Jobson writes.
"Even senior members of his circle will 'check which way the wind is blowing' before becoming too self-assured in his presence or raising problematic issues that might be better addressed at another time."
Jobson also claims that the duke and his wife Kate Middleton "are known to have heated exchanges from time to time."
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The royal expert explained that the duchess' "deft diplomatic touch" has come in handy for mediating conflicts between her husband and her father-in-law.
Although you'd think father and son's shared commitment to helping the environment would help their relationship, their different approaches may actually be something of a strain.
"The Duke of Cambridge has done a brilliant job, injecting hope into the debate over climate change, instead of always saying we’re at the cliff edge," an aide told Jobson. "His initiative [the Earthshot Prize competition] is about finding ways to stop and slow the damage. The Prince of Wales, while passionate, offers a doomsday scenario."
Here's hoping they don't fight too much!
Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Bustle and Shape. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.
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