How Does Prince William Show He Is Princess Diana's Son While Being A Working Royal?
Prince William set his priorities in life the way his late mom, Princess Diana, did, according to one royal commentator.
The Prince and Princess of Wales performed 172 and 123 engagements this year, respectively. While that sounds a lot, the numbers are not up to par with Princess Anne's 457 outings.
Historian and royal commentator Gareth Russell, the author of the 2023 book "The Palace: From the Tudors to the Windsors, 500 Years of History at Hampton Court," commented on the difference, saying it was how Prince William showed he was Princess Diana's son -- by prioritizing his family.
Prince William and Middleton share three children, Prince George, 10; Princess Charlotte, 8; and Prince Louis, 5.
"This is where you very much see that William is Diana's son," Russell told GB News. "Recently, there has almost been a perception that he is Charles's son and Harry is Diana's son. But you know Diana was immensely close with William. You can hear it when Prince William speaks about how there's so much love and admiration for his mother."
He added that how Prince William carried out his duties in the firm mirrored Princess Diana's "impact on the monarchy." However, he also warned that their work/home balance set-up could be dangerous to their reputation. The royal couple, who has been taking fewer engagements than the other senior royals, has been dubbed lazy by critics.
"The danger for them is that even though this is almost certainly motivated by prioritizing their home life, it has enabled their critics to paint them as lazy," the commentator continued. "That reputation can take quite a bit of time to shirk off at the moment."
He acknowledged that the monarchy faced difficulties over the years, and Prince William and Middleton were seen as the "star players" and the "star attraction for positive publicity."
"If they're not seen as often, there is a risk that they enable their critics to write the story for them," Russell added.
Meanwhile, American journalist and biographer Sally Bedell Smith, whose works have been featured in the New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal, weighed in on the Waleses' impact on the throne. According to her, Prince William and Middleton are an "incredible enhancement" to King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Bedell pointed out how they had pursued initiatives that were significant to them without supplanting Prince Harry's father and stepmother.
Judi James, a leading communication and body language expert who regularly appears on BBC News, Sky News, GB News and CNN, also noticed that the younger royal couple was careful not to overshadow the monarch and his wife when they attended public events. For instance, when the foursome showed up at the Royal Albert Hall in London for the Festival of Remembrance, the Cambridges reportedly sent a message through their gestures that "they intend to avoid upstaging the King and Queen."
