Prince William and his father, King Charles III, adhere to a well-known protocol: “Never complain, never explain.”
However, a recent embarrassing report from a reputable media outlet may have annoyed some members of the Royal Family. Despite this, it is unlikely any of them will break the unwritten rule to clarify the situation.
At 75, Princess Anne has earned a hard-won title from her relatives and the media as the hardest-working royal. Whether in good health or recovering from a severe head injury and brief loss of memory, she has consistently handled the business of the monarchy.
She travels to multiple countries representing her brother, the King, and the institution, and crisscrosses the UK to participate in royal engagements and meet the public.
After many years of service, her hard work has taken its toll. Reports also suggest Princess Anne is unhappy with how the younger royals handle their share of the work.
According to a source, she feels particularly frustrated when performing more investiture ceremonies at Windsor Castle. The insider told The Times: “She’s still doing most of the investments [at Windsor] even though William lives there. It annoys her.”
This unwanted and embarrassing leak regarding Princess Anne’s frustration comes at a particularly tricky time, as Princess Catherine, Prince William, their three children, and the Middleton family were reportedly on vacation in Greece.
Amid this backdrop, The Daily Mail revealed why the optics were less than ideal for Princess Catherine and Prince William: “On July 19, stories began to surface in the Greek media of how the Prince and Princess were enjoying the largesse of Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a prominent member of the UAE royal family. His £340 million 146-meter (479ft) mega-yacht, Opera, is said to be one of the most opulent private vessels in the world. It boasts every amenity imaginable and, in some cases, like Noah’s Ark, two of everything — including helipads. While the story was ignored by the British media, it was picked up around the world. The Delhi-based Hindustan Times, for instance, ran its account under the headline ‘Prince William, Kate Middleton sailing around Greece on a yacht belonging to Emirati sheikh’.”
Journalist Samara Gill defended Prince William by stating the obvious: that he has to focus on his wife, who recently battled cancer.
She stated: “I think, controversially, Anne is not in the right here. I do think, yes, she is the hardest-working royal, but William really needs to focus on being future-focused and not frantic – he needs to prepare for the long game. I think we need to cut William some slack.”
Prince William has made it clear that once he becomes King, he intends to reduce the number of traditional royal duties, such as ribbon cuttings and public appearances. Instead, he plans to focus his efforts on a smaller number of more impactful initiatives that aim to help a larger number of people.
