Royals’ private and ‘common’ problem revealed by palace aide

William may have just topped the latest royal family popularity poll, but – like other senior royals – a major concern lingers in his mind.

IN LONDON

Latest polls have him topping the list of most popular royal family members, but that doesn’t mean Prince William is immune to concerns about being a “nepo baby”.

A YouGov poll released last month showed that a whopping 75% of Britons surveyed had a positive view of the Prince of Wales – the kind of number politicians could only dream of – following a period which has seen him increasingly step up into the role of a global statesman.

However, a source who has known William for decades told the UK’s Times recently that a common problem among senior royals, including the heir to the throne, is the constant feeling that they are “often the only person in the room who is there by virtue of their birth rather than having earned the right to be there”.

William delivered a powerful speech in Monaco. Picture: Manon Cruz – WPA Pool/Getty Images

The insider added that William’s acute awareness of that fact has been a driver of his success in the role, which include his ambitions to create a real, tangible impact in areas such as the environment and homelessness.

On Sunday, the prince delivered a speech at the Blue Economy and Finance Forum in Monaco, warning that the ocean floor was “diminishing before our eyes” and urging leaders to take action “on a global, national and local level”.

“The truth is that healthy oceans are essential to all life on earth. They generate half of the world’s oxygen, regulate our climate and provide food for more than three billion people,” he pointed out.

William met with Costa Rica's President Rodrigo Chaves Robles during the forum. Picture: Manon Cruz – WPA Pool/Getty Images

It comes just days after William made his first visit as Colonel-in-Chief to the UK’s Army Air Corps in Wattisham, England, where he joked about the “mixed bag” of families amid his ongoing rift with his brother, Prince Harry.

While chatting with soldiers on an airfield about the structure of their work-life balance and how regularly they were able to get home, he remarked: “Some of them might not want to see you that much. It’s a mixed bag.”

It’s understood the brothers’ last communication was almost two years ago, when they briefly reunited for the late Queen’s funeral in London.

Last month, Harry gave a no-holds-barred interview with the BBC, where he revealed the King no longer takes his calls, that he doesn’t know “how long he has left” amid his cancer battle, and then asked his family for “reconciliation”.

The senior royals and Wales children on the Palace balcony last month. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

According to Hello’s royal editor, Emily Nash, the royal family was given only a “very brief” notice that the explosive interview was about to drop – and that it scuppered any hope of an olive branch being extended to the Sussexes.

“There was a very brief awareness-raising at the palace shortly before it broadcast,” she said.

“What was made clear all along is that the King didn’t feel he could have these conversations with his son because it would put him in a really difficult, and potentially unconstitutional, situation. He couldn’t be seen to intervene on his son’s behalf or get involved in government matters, his son is suing His Majesty’s government, you know he needed to stay right out of this situation.

“But once that had concluded, there was potentially a path to some kind of rapprochement, some kind of olive branch being offered. And I get the sense that that was the mood music, but that really quickly got switched off once the interview landed.”

Originally published as Royals’ private and ‘common’ problem revealed by palace aide