Prince William Isn’t Going to Hide From “Emotional Problems” as King Like Monarchs of the Past, Says Royal Biographer

Prince William opened up like never before in his interview with Eugene Levy on Apple TV+’s The Reluctant Traveler. The Prince of Wales touched on everything from his thoughts on family stress to how his kids don’t have cell phones, and in their wide-ranging conversation in Windsor, William shared his plans to make some of his own changes when he takes the throne one day.

“I think it’s safe to say that change is on my agenda. Change for good,” he told Levy, adding, “That’s the bit that excites me—the idea of being able to bring some change.” Prince William also got frank about the media intrusion he faced as a child was something he won’t stand for with his own kids—and how Princess Kate and The King’s cancer impacted his family, including Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Speaking to People, royal author Sally Bedell Smith said that the Prince of Wales was already showing what his reign will be like—and it’s a refreshingly modern update. She notes that in the past, the Royal Family would focus more on “ostriching” and “avoiding discussions of emotional problems in hopes that they would go away.”

Royal biographer Andrew Morton, who famously worked with Princess Diana, told People that it was clear Prince William would be doing things his own way. “The two words ‘change’ and ‘monarchy’ don’t naturally go together,” he said. “Monarchy is about continuity. To predicate your future life on the change you’re going to make to it…well, that’s a delicate mechanism.”