ROYALSCancer-Stricken King Charles Finds It 'Tough' to Play 'Second Fiddle' to Prince William
Prince William is taking more of a leadership role in the royal family, as King Charles battles cancer.
Prince William has taken more of a leadership role in the royal family after King Charles' cancer diagnosis, but the former's recent meeting with Donald Trump might have hurt his father's feelings.
King Charles and Kate Middleton were diagnosed with cancer earlier this year.
"It must be tough for Charles, a man who waited over seventy years for the big gig, to play second fiddle to his son," historian Dr. Tessa Dunlop told an outlet.
"Time and again recently, William has grabbed the headlines: in Commando uniform firing a gun, wearing a pinny serving Christmas fare to the homeless, and accompanying his wife Catherine, during the Emir of Qatar ’s state visit," the expert continued. "All eyes are always on William and the Waleses."
Donald Trump praised Prince William for his good looks during their meeting in Paris.
Charles took several months off to focus on his health, but the sovereign returned to public duties in April. However, William began to take on additional engagements when his father shared his cancer diagnosis.
"Charles's battle with cancer has not helped, but even the monarch's illness took second place to the Princess of Waleses' shock diagnosis," Dunlop stated. "The King, for so long overshadowed by his extraordinary mother, now finds himself outperformed by his eldest son, with William's weekend jaunt in Paris another painful reminder of who holds royalty’s trump card."
William's ability to shine while meeting with world leaders gave insight into what his legacy will be like when he's king.
"But that is to overlook the ubiquitous appeal of William," Dunlop stated. "Unlike his father, King Charles, long associated with a green agenda, William's brand neatly avoids any one particular passion project."
"These days, the Prince of Wales effortlessly blends his mother's charisma with a careful study of the late Queen’s canny constitutional rule," she noted. "Less is more, especially when the 'less' is delivered with a certain aplomb. Trump liked what he saw."
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King Charles took four months away from public duties to focus on his cancer battle.
OK! previously reported William hinted at his goals for The Crown while in South Africa for the Earthshot Prize.
“And to give you more of an understanding around it, I’m doing it with maybe a smaller ‘r’ in the royal, if you like. So it’s more about impact, philanthropy, collaboration, convening and helping people,” William told a journalist of his upcoming plans.
“I’m also going to throw empathy in there as well because I really care about what I do. It helps impact people’s lives and I think we could do with some more empathetic leadership around the world," he admitted while discussing his hopes for the future. "So that’s what I’m trying to bring, that’s what Catherine is trying to bring as well.”
Prince William revealed his plans for when he takes over for his father, King Charles, one day.
William's ability to attract attention reminded royal biographer Tina Brown of Charles and Princess Diana.
"The problem is they have very much the same problem that I talked about with Princess Diana and Charles, which was known as the upstage problem," Brown said on "The Ankler" podcast. "He does upstage William. There's no doubt about it, you know, on the stage."
Dunlop spoke to The Mirror.
