Kate Reportedly ‘Now the Backbone’ of the Crown as Her ‘Weaker’ Husband Cracks ‘Under Pressure’ of Becoming King
Prince William will be king, probably sooner rather than later. That much we have known for a while. King Charles was, after all, the oldest person to ascend to the royal throne when he became king, and now he’s battling cancer. Transfer of power might not happen today or tomorrow, but common sense indicates it will happen relatively soon.
How’s Prince William dealing with this, and with the numerous challenges that come with being the face of a monarchy that people are pushing back against more, particularly after the Andrew scandal? According to RadarOnline, not well, as the heir to the throne is “cracking under pressure.”
Related: Here’s what each royal inherited from Queen Elizabeth
“Among people who work closely with the royal household, there is a strong feeling that Catherine has become one of the central figures keeping everything steady while the institution navigates an unusually difficult chapter,” a source said. “She has a naturally calm and measured way of handling situations, and that has helped create a sense of stability around the future of the monarchy.”
The source indicates this is particularly crucial for the institution at large. “At a time when there has been so much uncertainty and pressure, Catherine’s steadiness and composure have become incredibly important to maintaining confidence in the institution. She is now its backbone, whereas William, frankly, is seen as weaker than her.”
Sources have indicated the pressure on William is a lot, and he’s having some trouble figuring out what comes next. “There are times when the enormity of what lies ahead for William really starts to press on him,” they said. “Preparing to become king is always a huge burden, but the current climate surrounding the monarchy has made that weight feel even heavier.”
There’s the Andrew investigation, a fraught relationship with his brother Harry, reports that Sarah Ferguson might be writing a tell-all, questions about whether King Charles and Queen Elizabeth before protected Andrew from facing consequences, and the general weight of a monarchy that needs to be modernized.
“People who are familiar with what is going on behind the scenes say there have been periods where the constant stream of controversies, public scrutiny and institutional pressures have visibly affected him.”
They added, “He understands that the expectations placed on him are enormous and that he will eventually inherit an institution under intense examination. Those around him say that awareness can sometimes make the path ahead feel daunting, particularly when the royal family is dealing with multiple crises at the same time.”
But William is not alone in facing these challenges. And some reports indicate he’s ready to take decisive action. Robb Shuter recently reported that William wants nothing to do with his uncle. “William has made a very firm decision,” one royal insider told Shuter, “Andrew will never be around Catherine or the kids again. That door is completely closed.”
When the time eventually comes for King Charles’s funeral, William does not want Andrew there,” the insider even said. “He doesn’t want that shadow anywhere near Catherine or his children.”
