The monarch doesn’t want William flying with his young family.
There’s no denying the strength of King Charles and Prince William’s father-son bond, but their close relationship doesn’t stop them from having a disagreement every now and again. According to a new book by royal expert Robert Jobson, titled Catherine, The Princess of Wales, the King and the Prince of Wales—who almost always appear to be on the same wavelength—recently had a tense argument regarding the Wales family’s safety.
In the soon-to-be-released biography, Jobson revealed that Charles “raised concerns” with William, an experienced pilot, over his helicopter use with Kate Middleton and their three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. “After being diagnosed with cancer, King Charles—perhaps reminded of his own mortality—echoed his late mother’s concerns,” Jobson wrote, before explaining that Queen Elizabeth also previously requested William not fly with his family via helicopter.
Per a Palace aide, the late monarch “didn’t hold back” on her opinion after being “haunted” by the death of her flight captain during a 1967 helicopter crash.
When William refused to stop flying with his family, Charles reportedly drew up a waiver for him to sign. “Charles insisted that he sign a formal document, acknowledging the risks involved and taking full responsibility for his actions,” wrote Jobson, adding: “It would be scant consolation, of course, for an unspeakable tragedy, let alone for the prospect of King Harry and Queen Meghan.”
Elsewhere in the book, Jobson credits Middleton as being a “stablizing influence” on William—especially when it comes to tiffs between the future king and his father. A source told Jobson that Kate “is somebody who always tries to see both sides of any dispute” and is the “emotionally mature” one in their relationship.
