Prince William was really feeling himself over the weekend. His office made arrangements to completely overshadow King Charles’s first Trooping the Colour parade in two ways. One, William released two Father’s Day photos with his children, and he made sure to get the photos to the newspapers in time to make almost all of the Sunday papers. Secondly, William gave a big exclusive interview to Roya Nikkhah at the Sunday Times, wherein William made news by talking about housing homeless folks on Duchy land and he previewed his big new project, which will be launched in the coming days/weeks. As I said yesterday, I cannot wait to see how King Charles punishes William for all of this thunder-stealing. Well, it’s begun already. From the Mail’s Eden Confidential column:
Prince William’s decision to give his first big interview as heir to the throne on the weekend of his father’s inaugural King’s Birthday Parade has put the cat among the pigeons at the palace, I hear. In the interview, with The Sunday Times, the Prince talked about his ambitions to ‘end’ homelessness and failed to mention King Charles’s efforts to provide social housing when he was in charge of the Duchy of Cornwall.
William caused further tensions by releasing a sweet Father’s Day photograph of him with his children in time for the Sunday papers.
‘The timing of the interview will certainly have raised eyebrows at Buckingham Palace,’ a senior former palace official tells me. ‘The interview and the Father’s Day picture have blown His Majesty off the front pages on the weekend of his first King’s Birthday Parade. It could have been sequenced better, especially given that the Duchy social-housing initiative isn’t being launched for a while yet.’
Media management is a thorny subject in the Royal Family. In his controversial memoir, Spare, Prince Harry claimed he and his brother, William, were restricted in how many public engagements they could undertake.
Oh, William “failed to mention King Charles’s efforts to provide social housing when he was in charge of the Duchy of Cornwall” as well? Probably because… Charles wasn’t known for giving away free housing to unhoused people? Charles ran the Duchy like a profitable real estate empire (which it is), not a charity. Anyway, “It could have been sequenced better” is definitely Britspeak for “the King is mad as a hornet.” I find this curious too: “especially given that the Duchy social-housing initiative isn’t being launched for a while yet.” William made it sound like it would launch within the next week or two – was his interview just another promise to be keen? And if the launch isn’t for a few months, why did William give the interview? It’s a lot like Kate and Chelsea Flower Show mess – William did all of this knowing that he was going to overshadow his father.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images, Millie Pilkington for Kensington Palace.
London, 17th June 2023. The King joins other members of the Royal Family, including the Princess Royal and her husband, Prince William, the Prince of Wales and Catherine, the Princess of Wales, Queen Camilla, Sophie Duchess of Edinburgh and Edward, Duke of Edinburgh,on the palace balcony for a fly-past by the Royal Air Force. Trooping of the Colour has marked the official birthday of the British Sovereign, King Charles III. Over 1400 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians take part in the display.,Image: 783939568, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Imageplotter / Avalon 
The Royal Family receive the crowds and look on at the flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Trooping the Colour, the King’s Birthday Parade, London, UK on June 17 2023. Present (L-R) Sir Timothy Laurence, the Princess Royal, (Princess Anne), Prince George, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, Princess of Wales, HRH Prince of Wales (Prince William), HM King Charles III, HM Queen Camilla, Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Edward), Duchess of Edinburgh (Sophie), Duke of Kent, Duchess of Gloucester, Duke of Gloucester.,Image: 783948598, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Lee Floyd / Avalon 
The Royal Family receive the crowds and look on at the flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Trooping the Colour, the King’s Birthday Parade, London, UK on June 17 2023. Present (L-R) Sir Timothy Laurence, the Princess Royal, (Princess Anne), Prince George, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, Princess of Wales, HRH Prince of Wales (Prince William), HM King Charles III, HM Queen Camilla, Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Edward), Duchess of Edinburgh (Sophie), Duke of Kent, Duchess of Gloucester, Duke of Gloucester.,Image: 783948830, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Lee Floyd / Avalon
The Royal Family receive the crowds and look on at the flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Trooping the Colour, the King’s Birthday Parade, London, UK on June 17 2023. Present (L-R) Sir Timothy Laurence, the Princess Royal, (Princess Anne), Prince George, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, Princess of Wales, HRH Prince of Wales (Prince William), HM King Charles III, HM Queen Camilla, Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Edward), Duchess of Edinburgh (Sophie), Duke of Kent, Duchess of Gloucester, Duke of Gloucester.,Image: 783949042, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Lee Floyd / Avalon 
London, 17th June 2023. The King joins other members of the Royal Family, including the Princess Royal and her husband, Prince William, the Prince of Wales and Catherine, the Princess of Wales, Queen Camilla, Sophie Duchess of Edinburgh and Edward, Duke of Edinburgh,on the palace balcony for a fly-past by the Royal Air Force. Trooping of the Colour has marked the official birthday of the British Sovereign, King Charles III. Over 1400 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians take part in the display.,Image: 783954319, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Imageplotter / Avalon 
King Charles III leads members of The Royal Family on his first Trooping the Colour, the monarch’s official birthday parade Featuring: King Charles III and Queen Camilla Where: London, United Kingdom When: 17 Jun 2023 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
King Charles III leads members of The Royal Family on his first Trooping the Colour, the monarch’s official birthday parade Featuring: King Charles III and Queen Camilla Where: London, United Kingdom When: 17 Jun 2023 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE** 
Annual Order of the Garter Service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, Berkshire. Featuring: King Charles III Where: Windsor, United Kingdom When: 19 Jun 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY** 
King Charles III leads members of The Order of the Garter to the annual Garter Service at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle Featuring: King Charles III Where: Windsor, United Kingdom When: 19 Jun 2023 Credit: John Rainford/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE UK**
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