General News for the Wales Family 3: March 2025-


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I will just quote what I posted in another forum before knowing about the new vacation to summary up what I feel about the Wales’s way of doing things!

“Apparently it’s bad parenting to work while raising children, the rest of world where parents work full time while having children are bad parents and even the current Spanish, Dutch, Belgian, danish and in the near future Luxembourg monarchs are bad people who choose duty over family 🤷🏻‍♂️”
 
Marengo said:
He might be more introvert than some others, maybe that could be mistaken for reluctance. But my impression if you see photos of these visits is actually that he seems relaxed, talkative, engaged and he seems to be enjoying himself.
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Those are not mutually exclusive. An introverted person (as both he and Catherine appear to be) can have wonderful people skills, be charming to spend time with, enjoy others’ company (especially in smaller groups) — and then at some point or when done you need to go home, or at least take some time by yourself — because it takes energy out of you. (As opposed to extroverts, who are most people, who gain their energy by spending time with people socially.)

This isn’t a commentary on their workload (there are other introverted royals). Just what it’s like and that neither of them appears to dislike meeting people per se.
 
[.....]
I personally wouldn't consider royals like HRH The Princess Royal suckers for not coasting on their wealth for several reasons. The biggest reason is passion; it seems like she actually likes the royal work and would probably be doing something similar even if she wasn't a princess. The second is necessity; she would have been (and might still be) supported by the Sovereign Grant/the Duchy of Lancaster through her mother until Gatcombe Park became profitable. Finally, she comes from a generation where obligation for its own sake was enough. This is a very different generation that's more interested in a work-life balance (or even imbalance in favor of life).

As an American, I can't get completely invested in how little or much HRH The Prince of Wales works. I can't begrudge him for prioritizing his family and his own happiness as other members of his family have done the same. And if his constituents are happy with the work that he is doing (or as least giving him grace for the work he's not), then I guess that's it.
 
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Somebody said:
Different methods can exist next to each other: that different generations do things differently, doesn't mean that they don't value the other generation's way of approaching royal duty but nor does it mean that they have to do it the same way. Charles had to develop his own path as Prince of Wales; and now William has to find his way.

Will he do everything right, of course not, nobody does. Did he learn something from the past, yes, they are prioritizing family life much more than previous generations (and that clearly was needed). Do they go over board with that? Maybe at times, however, in the long run we will be able to hopefully see the positive effects of raising their children in a warm and supporting environment - even through hard times. And given the royal family's terrible track record, I do understand rather erring on the side of focusing too much on family than too little.
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Agree with this. I'll just add that no one is actually in the position to say with confidence how much work they do or how much time they spend together as a family. We simply don't know.

Every royal is entitled to approach their duties the way they choose. They don't have to follow verbatim what previous generations have done. One royal doing one thing doesn't mean other royals doing other things are wrong or fools. For William particular, he has to interprete his role in the way that he thinks works for him as a person, works for his family and appeals to his generation. He's decided on an approach that does not always involve being seen in public but enables him get a lot more involved in fewer issues. His prerogative.

We are all entitled to our opinions on forums like these but ultimately none of these matter. Not to him (he doesn't know we exist) and all the opining will not change his ways or change the minds of watchers that like him. He is who he is and it is his prerogative to do things the way he chooses and to own the consequences.

The important thing is that his approach is working for him so far. He and Catherine remain the most popular royals and the latest Ipsos poll show majority think he has changed the monarchy for the better, and he is just the heir. I guess British people value authenticity and his approach to his duties. Why would he do things any differently? Why break a winning streak? He has a devoted family, has found purpose as a public leader changing minds in meaningful social issues, and is beloved in his country in spite of his privilege and wealth. I think he is good.
 
They seem good parents but a King and Queen cannot just turn off and on. Their children will remain school age for many years to come and, I think, William will become King during this time. That will mean no more Adelaide Cottage; regular daily school runs and clocking off during school holidays. William, at least, will need to be in London for Privy Council meetings; ambassadorial meetings; PM meetings; receptions etc, and I just don't see the will in him to live like this. It will be interesting to see how it all pans out.
 
sophie25 said:
They seem good parents but a King and Queen cannot just turn off and on. Their children will remain school age for many years to come and, I think, William will become King during this time. That will mean no more Adelaide Cottage; regular daily school runs and clocking off during school holidays. William, at least, will need to be in London for Privy Council meetings; ambassadorial meetings; PM meetings; receptions etc, and I just don't see the will in him to live like this. It will be interesting to see how it all pans out.
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That is possibly the very reason they live they do just now, he is also in the preparation stage. It could happen tomorrow or years from now but he just doesn’t turn up one day as king without any preparation.
 
:previous:
There is a thread where we can discuss what William's life as King will be like and his suitability for the position.

Prince William's Suitability to be King

I was wondering if William is suitable to be a King one day. Just an imagination: The Queen dies in 2020. Charles will be King then as George VII. 2030 Charles/George VII. dies and William (V.) will become King. Is he suitable for this "job"? What particular instance has helped you to form...
www.theroyalforums.com www.theroyalforums.com
 
Things will change. Once the children move on to secondary school, they'll probably be boarders, or at least weekly boarders. And teenagers don't really want to be hanging around with their parents all through the school holidays.
 
OwlBranch said:
This just highlight to me just how pointless this whole thing is. William didn't go to the BAFTA and the show went on just fine. They keep on publishing articles calling him a "Global Statesman". How is that possible if he keeps taking vacation every other month?
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He isn’t take a vacation “every other month”. He is taking a holiday when his children are off of school, which is generally what you do when it’s the holidays, no?
 
Rael said:
Agree with this. I'll just add that no one is actually in the position to say with confidence how much work they do or how much time they spend together as a family. We simply don't know.

Every royal is entitled to approach their duties the way they choose. They don't have to follow verbatim what previous generations have done. One royal doing one thing doesn't mean other royals doing other things are wrong or fools. For William particular, he has to interprete his role in the way that he thinks works for him as a person, works for his family and appeals to his generation. He's decided on an approach that does not always involve being seen in public but enables him get a lot more involved in fewer issues. His prerogative.

We are all entitled to our opinions on forums like these but ultimately none of these matter. Not to him (he doesn't know we exist) and all the opining will not change his ways or change the minds of watchers that like him. He is who he is and it is his prerogative to do things the way he chooses and to own the consequences.

The important thing is that his approach is working for him so far. He and Catherine remain the most popular royals and the latest Ipsos poll show majority think he has changed the monarchy for the better, and he is just the heir. I guess British people value authenticity and his approach to his duties. Why would he do things any differently? Why break a winning streak? He has a devoted family, has found purpose as a public leader changing minds in meaningful social issues, and is beloved in his country in spite of his privilege and wealth. I think he is good.
Click to expand...

William also needs to fall in line with the King’s overall strategy and vision for the Royal Family. Remarks that he’s made over the years have made me think that William is truly comfortable as a team player, or at least understands that it’s the current monarch who sets the agenda. If the King feels that it’s his job to do the most visible and high profile engagements, and wants to be appreciated for the quality and volume of work he’s doing (and maybe a little bit of him just wants to finally have his time in the sun) then William has to plan accordingly.

Charles also understands better than anyone that being the Prince of Wales isn’t just about showing up to public engagements. He always seemed genuinely committed to the responsibilities that come with the Duchy of Cornwall, and may be advising William to devote a significant amount of time to that, and the behind the scenes work that comes with it, at least for now.
 
camelot23ca said:
William also needs to fall in line with the King’s overall strategy and vision for the Royal Family. Remarks that he’s made over the years have made me think that William is truly comfortable as a team player, or at least understands that it’s the current monarch who sets the agenda. If the King feels that it’s his job to do the most visible and high profile engagements, and wants to be appreciated for the quality and volume of work he’s doing (and maybe a little bit of him just wants to finally have his time in the sun) then William has to plan accordingly.

Charles also understands better than anyone that being the Prince of Wales isn’t just about showing up to public engagements. He always seemed genuinely committed to the responsibilities that come with the Duchy of Cornwall, and may be advising William to devote a significant amount of time to that, and the behind the scenes work that comes with it, at least for now.
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Very interesting points.
 
A night of football for William and George
www.dailymail.co.uk

Prince William attends Aston Villa's Champions League clash with PSG

Prince William has been spotted with Prince George at Villa Park ahead of his beloved Aston Villa 's crunch Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain.
www.dailymail.co.uk www.dailymail.co.uk

Looks like Kate was spotting boarding the helicopter
www.instagram.com

Point de Vue on Instagram: "🎥 Point de Vue se trouvait au bon endroit… au bon moment. Ce mardi, vers 16h20, la princesse de Galles a été aperçue traversant Kensington Gardens pour rejoindre un hélicoptère. Direction : le Norfolk, où l’attendent ses

790 likes, 13 comments - pointdevue on April 15, 2025: "🎥 Point de Vue se trouvait au bon endroit… au bon moment. Ce mardi, vers 16h20, la princesse de Galles a été aperçue traversant Kensington Gardens pour rejoindre un hélicoptère. Direction : le Norfolk, où l’attendent ses enfants. 🌿 Un...
www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
 
crm2317 said:
Nice to see the Duke and Duchess of Westminster with them.
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Also Nicholas and Edward van Cutsem, which makes me wonder if some of the other children in the box are van Cutsem boys.
 
llj said:
Also Nicholas and Edward van Cutsem, which makes me wonder if some of the other children in the box are van Cutsem boys.
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I believe one of the boys (next to George) was Ralph Tollemache, the son of Edward Tollemache.
 
Lovely that George spends time with his godfather the Duke of Westminster. It is clear William has kept his close circle of friends from his childhood and they are all involved with each other in their family life
 
Elly C said:
Agony and ecstasy I think! ( or rather the other way round ).
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I'm sure the team at Aston Villa FC are very pleased with their avid royal supporters and friends!
 
I hope he's buying a season ticket, he's not supporting the club if he keeps coming for free. I also don't get why his friends and their children have suddenly become avid fans. William picked Aston Vill to support randomly, and nothing wrong with that, [.....]. I bet if he stopped being a Villa fan you wouldn't see them there ever again,[.....]
 
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sophie25 said:
I hope he's buying a season ticket, he's not supporting the club if he keeps coming for free. I also don't get why his friends and their children have suddenly become avid fans. William picked Aston Vill to support randomly, and nothing wrong with that,[.....] I bet if he stopped being a Villa fan you wouldn't see them there ever again, [.....]
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I agree to a point seeing the Westminster family there didn’t quite ring true to me, but it was a British team in Europe so I guess that’s why they seemed keen. I have no problem with William in only making certain games - can you imagine the uproar if her were to be there on a regular basis.? He does make the odd run of the mill game and attends training sessions from time to time. We don’t know in what ways he supports the team so it’s unfair to accuse him of not supporting the club. There’s no doubt he and George are genuine supporters ( it’s not unusual for a son to follow his dad’s team. I personally enjoy watching the genuine emotion they show at these matches.
 
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Elly C said:
I agree to a point seeing the Westminster family there didn’t quite ring true to me, but it was a British team in Europe so I guess that’s why they seemed keen. I have no problem with William in only making certain games - can you imagine the uproar if her were to be there on a regular basis.? He does make the odd run of the mill game and attends training sessions from time to time. We don’t know in what ways he supports the team so it’s unfair to accuse him of not supporting the club. There’s no doubt he and George are genuine supporters ( it’s not unusual for a son to follow his dad’s team. I personally enjoy watching the genuine emotion they show at these matches.
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I recall that Prince William has been an AV fan since his youth, so it's not surprising that his children have been aware that their father watching the team's matches for years
 
Elly C said:
I agree to a point seeing the Westminster family there didn’t quite ring true to me, but it was a British team in Europe so I guess that’s why they seemed keen. I have no problem with William in only making certain games - can you imagine the uproar if her were to be there on a regular basis.? He does make the odd run of the mill game and attends training sessions from time to time. We don’t know in what ways he supports the team so it’s unfair to accuse him of not supporting the club. There’s no doubt he and George are genuine supporters ( it’s not unusual for a son to follow his dad’s team. I personally enjoy watching the genuine emotion they show at these matches.
Click to expand...
William and a couple of his friends have supported Villa since school.
 
Elly C said:
I agree to a point seeing the Westminster family there didn’t quite ring true to me, but it was a British team in Europe so I guess that’s why they seemed keen. I have no problem with William in only making certain games - can you imagine the uproar if her were to be there on a regular basis.? He does make the odd run of the mill game and attends training sessions from time to time. We don’t know in what ways he supports the team so it’s unfair to accuse him of not supporting the club. There’s no doubt he and George are genuine supporters ( it’s not unusual for a son to follow his dad’s team. I personally enjoy watching the genuine emotion they show at these matches.
Click to expand...
Arsenal are also a British team in the same competition and they are a London club so where are the Westminsters in supporting them? Look, as I said before, I have no problem with William having adopted Villa as his team, but it looks practically medieval with all his pals and their kids becoming Villa fans too. [.....]
 
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I recall that Prince William has been an AV fan since his youth, so it's not surprising that his children have been aware that their father watching the team's matches for years
Click to expand...

Yeah, he's said that while George is definitely a Villa supporter, Charlotte and Louis claim to be, but he's not holding them to that, wanting them to decide on their own which team they support as they get older and more into the game, which is fair.

As for William's friends, I don't know which teams they support, but as a huge football fan myself, I know this:
1. If my friend offered me tickets to a Champions League match — any Champions League match — I would go with no hesitation.

2. You don't have to be a fan of a team to go to a match, enjoy it, and get into it. I'm not a Barcelona fan at all, but when my friend and I went to a match at the Camp Nou while we were on vacation, I found myself swept up in the crowd's excitement and cheering every goal, even though I was bitter that my own team's best player had recently signed with Barcelona.

3. If you don't already have an allegiance to a team, you can become a fan of a team that a friend or family member is passionate about. My brother is a huge Arsenal supporter and I started out watching matches with him purely as a way to spend more time with him and understand something he loved so much. Twenty years later, I think I'm an even more fanatical Arsenal supporter than he is. I can definitely relate if that's how William's friends have come to support Villa. Indeed, that's the way William himself became a supporter:
“Aston Villa’s always had a great history. I have got friends of mine who support Aston Villa and one of the first FA Cup games I went to was Bolton vs Aston Villa back in 2000. Sadly, Villa went on to lose to Chelsea.

“It was fantastic, I sat with all the fans with my red beanie on, and I was sat with all the Brummie fans and had a great time. It was the atmosphere, the camaraderie and I really felt that there was something I could connect with.”
Click to expand...

In any case, I loved seeing William and George's reactions to the Villa match. Even though they fell short, Villa's comeback was so exciting. Personally, I'm relieved, though, because had they progressed, Arsenal and Villa would have played in the semi-finals, and I hate playing other Premier League teams in the Champions League. Crisis averted. Sorry, William and George!
 
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