Royal Aides Reveal Prince William Is "Pretty Demanding" and "Impatient" Regarding One Aspect of His Work

The Prince of Wales was also described as "pretty ambitious."

Prince William wears a shirt with a sweater and looks serious
(Image credit: Oli Scarff - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Prince William has been taking on more responsibilities within the Royal Family in recent years, and he has also taken over the Duchy of Cornwall. In a new profile of the Prince of Wales, royal aides discussed William's approach to running the duchy, which reportedly includes some "demanding" behavior and a degree of "impatience."

The Telegraph recently accompanied the Prince of Wales when he visited the Duchy of Cornwall. Consisting of "128,494 acres of land across 20 counties," William inherited the duchy when his father, King Charles, acceded the throne. The Duchy of Cornwall is a huge source of income for Prince William, who charges rent on properties and land within the hereditary estate.

Discussing William's approach to managing the Duchy of Cornwall, secretary Will Bax told the outlet, "He's easy to follow because he's got great conviction and personality, and he really wears his heart on his sleeve in terms of social interest and his desire to have a positive impact in the world." Bax also called William "pretty demanding," before saying the attribute is "great," especially as the prince is "pretty ambitious."

Prince William, Prince of Wales speaks with Clarkson's Farm stars Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland during an event for sixty of the Duchy of Cornwall's next generation of farming tenants, on March 26, 2025 in Pensford, England

Prince William visits the Duchy of Cornwall.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Estate director Ben Murphy discussed Prince William's approach to working within the Duchy of Cornwall, revealing that the royal has a "healthy impatience, as his father did." However, Murphy suggested William's "impatience...puts the wind in our sails; he really cares."

King Charles and Prince William wearing blue suits and medals

William is "pretty ambitious," per a royal aide.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

William himself opened up about the work he's doing within the Duchy of Cornwall, including building additional houses to help people who are unhoused. "I see the duchy as an extension of the work we do with the Royal Foundation," Prince William told The Telegraph.

The Prince of Wales elaborated, "I see it as a branch of my philanthropy...There's so much good we can do in the rural world. I see [the duchy] as another arm to the work that I want to do, which is being a positive force for good."

Bax confirmed William's aims, telling the outlet, "He's a man on a mission...He's asking us to change and evolve in a way to deliver positive impact at scale and at pace."

Amy Mackelden
Weekend Editor

Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.