Prince William Is No Longer “Reluctant” to Become King, Says Expert

In theory, being King or Queen sounds pretty awesome. But in practice? It’s a very public role, held for an entire lifetime, with enormous pressure and responsibility. Prince William was notoriously nervous about being in line for the throne as a young man, with Prince Harry once revealing in an interview, “Is there any one of the royal family who wants to be king or queen? I don’t think so, but we will carry out our duties at the right time.”

But according to Jennie Bond, a royal author with long ties to the family, Prince William is maturing into his duties. Speaking to OK! Magazine, as reported by Express, Bond explained that even as a teenager, it was clear that one day Prince William would grow into a great future king. “Having known his mother Diana and speaking to her at length about her children, I remember so vividly how she said the country is lucky to have William, he's all right,” Bond told the publication. Still, his concerns about taking on such a big role were noticeable even then. “She also said that he found at that age, in his early teens, the burden of kingship was already weighing quite heavily on his shoulders.”

Bond noted that even the public could sense William's reticence to ascend. "I think we did see a reluctance to take on the role earlier on, in his early adolescence, he knew his destiny as none of the rest of us do from such an early age,” she said. “But in the last couple of years he has shown convincingly that he is the man for the role and that he cares about being king.” She added, “He absolutely fully accepts the role and the responsibility destiny has put his way.”

Prince William is second in line to the throne, behind his father Prince Charles, and though rumors have circulated that Charles could step aside to make way for William ascending the throne, these are likely unfounded. Still, Charles may only hold onto the monarchy for a short while after Queen Elizabeth II leaves it, since he’s already 73. 

Nevertheless, when Prince Charles does become King, Prince William and Kate Middleton will undergo some title changes of their own. Prince William will become Prince of Wales, and Kate will have the title of Princess of Wales, the same title Princess Diana held.