Royal Expert Says Prince William Is "Determined to Break the Cycle of Misery" After Experiencing So Much "Turmoil and Chaos" in His Childhood

"William had spent years agonizing over whether he was making choices that would make his mother proud."

Prince William wears a gray plaid suit and a white suit and looks pensive
(Image credit: Aaron Chown - Pool/Getty Images)

As the heir apparent, Prince William's future as King has been mapped out since he was a child. Having lived with such a huge responsibility throughout his life, the Prince of Wales developed "protective instincts," particularly for his younger brother, Prince Harry. And according to a new biography, William remains "determined to break the cycle" when it comes to one aspect of royal life.

In the new book, William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story, royal expert Russell Myers discussed how King Charles and Princess Diana's tumultuous marriage impacted their children.

"William had spent years agonizing over whether he was making choices that would make his mother proud," Myers explained. "At the forefront of his mind were her words concerning the choices that existed when it came to finding a long-lasting love."

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Prince George, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, Prince William and Princess Kate on the balcony at Trooping the Colour

"He had been quietly determined to break the cycle of misery."

(Image credit: Getty Images)

According to Myers, Prince William didn't want to repeat the mistakes his parents had made.

"The day after [King Charles's] extraordinarily candid interview with broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby on June 29, 1994, where for the first time he admitted his infidelity with Camilla, Diana raced to comfort the 12-year-old William," Myers shared.

As noted by Myers, Diana said during her BBC Panorama interview in November 1995, "I went to the school and put it to William, particularly, that if you find someone you love in life you must hang on to it and look after it, and if you were lucky enough to find someone who loved you then one must protect it."

It seems as though William took his mother's advice very seriously. "What followed was an intense, albeit short, period of reflection for William," Myers wrote.

The royal expert continued, "Ever since he was old enough to remember the turmoil and chaos that existed in his parents's relationship, he had been quietly determined to break the cycle of misery."

Prince William putting his arm on Princess Kate's back

"If you were lucky enough to find someone who loved you then one must protect it."

(Image credit: Getty Images)

After marrying Princess Kate and welcoming their three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—it seems clear the Prince of Wales has continued working hard to avoid any "turmoil and chaos" in his own home life.

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.