Buckingham Palace Sources Say Prince William and King Charles Have a “Rivalry” Over William’s Desire for Power

Time to dust off some fresh new royal drama, and this time it has nothing to do with Prince Harry.

According to The Daily Beast, there’s some tension brewing between Prince William and his father King Charles—specifically over how much control Prince William has in his role as heir to the throne.

“I am sure they will butt heads as Charles is allergic to anyone telling him what to do, and William is not exactly famed for his subtlety,” a former Buckingham Palace staffer explains. “But I think it is broadly seen as a productive rivalry, rather than a destructive one, because William respects his father’s ‘rank’ as head of The Firm.”

The former staffer adds that, “Ultimately the monarchy is a hierarchical structure based on military principles, and when push comes to shove, you have to obey orders from your superiors,” noting that William and Kate “understand” that.

That said, William and Charles have very different vibes when it comes to running their offices. A source who has worked for both royals says that “William and Kate would do things like give you two weeks off if your father died, while Charles’ office has a more workaholic vibe.” Oh, and apparently one courtier even joked that they didn’t have time to use the bathroom while working for Charles? Which…yikes!

Sounds like these two couldn’t be more different, but apparently “Charles absolutely wants William to plough his own furrow, he is encouraged to do so, just as he was,” so at least there’s that.