Prince William and King Charles Differ in 1 Major Way When It Comes to Their Wives

As father and son, Prince William and King Charles bear remarkable similarities. But there is one way in which the two couldn’t be more different, and it is related to how they treat their spouses.

Charles famously got jealous whenever Princess Diana garnered more attention than him. On the contrary, William has a completely different reaction whenever Kate Middleton becomes the focal point of public adoration. 

King Charles and Prince William are different in one major way concerning their wives

Undoubtedly, Charles’ unease over the widespread admiration for his first wife, Diana, was common knowledge during their union. Reportedly, Diana’s prominence was a source of ‘discontent’ for Charles, casting a shadow over their relationship during her ascent to global fame.

Given Diana’s popularity, this is something that plagued the couple throughout their marriage. Speaking to Daily Mail, royal expert Roya Nikkhah pointed out that William is the complete opposite of his father.

The royal pundit noted that the Prince of Wales actively embraces his wife’s celebrity at every turn. Where Charles may have harbored envy over his spouse’s acclaim, William revels in Kate’s moment in the sun.

“Charles was always very upset when Diana had eclipsed him, which was all the time,” Nikkhah stated. “William is delighted by the fact that people warm to Catherine.”

Nikkhah added that William is comfortable with the idea of Kate being the star of the show. Not only is her exposure good for the family, but William gets excited talking about her various ventures. 

King Charles envied Princess Diana’s public attention

Charles’ distaste for Diana’s fame was featured on the popular series, The Crown. Although the series was embellished for the sake of entertainment, the depiction wasn’t far from the truth.

Diana opened up about Charles’ jealousy during her explosive interview in 1995. Talking to Martin Bashir of the BBC, Diana explained how Charles was constantly frustrated by the attention she received worldwide. 

She recounted a visit to Australia where the crowd’s disappointment was palpable when Charles was nearest to them and Diana was beside him. As Diana put it, the people yearned for a closer interaction with her rather than Charles.

“Now, if you’re a man like my husband, a proud man, you mind about that if you hear it every day for four weeks,” she stated. “And you feel low about it, instead of feeling happy and sharing it.”

Diana also confessed to feeling “very uncomfortable” with the dynamics of their relationship. She wished for mutual happiness and for Charles to partake in public admiration.

In the end, Diana didn’t enjoy the attention because it brought about envy and complex circumstances in her marriage. 

This is the only thing that really bothers Prince William when it comes to Kate Middleton

William and Charles may have divergent views on their wives’ popularity, but there’s one pet peeve that gets under William’s skin. According to Nikkhah, the Sunday Times’ Royal Editor, William isn’t thrilled when he’s left out of photos featuring him and Kate. 

“The only thing I know that does slightly bother him is when he is cropped out of photos,” Nikkhah shared. “You will find very often they will do a joint engagement and the front page of the news the next day, it is as if William was never there!”

Kate remains a dynamic presence in royal duties, often participating both with William and independently. Most recently, she engaged with a large group of students at the Chelsea Flower Show.

The Princess of Wales’ appearance at the event was a bit of a surprise for royal watchers, as this was her first showing since 2019. She also arrived a few hours ahead of King Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, who were already scheduled for the event.