Why Prince William’s LGBTQI comments were more problematic than they seemed

The Prince was asked yesterday how he would feel if one of his children came out, and his response was more problematic than it seemed.

There have been three high-profile royal weddings in the last year or so (Windsor’s St George’s Chapel has had quite the workout) but it is a fourth lesser reported royal “I do” that is truly historic.

In September 2018, the Queen’s cousin Lord Ivar Mountbatten married his longtime partner James Coyle, in the (extended) royal family’s first same-sex wedding.

The question of the royal family’s stance on LGBTQI rights arose again this week when Prince William, during a visit to the Albert Kennedy Trust, was asked how he would feel if any of his three children were gay. His answer? He said he would be “absolutely fine”.

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The Duke of Cambridge’s words were praised by most, simply by showing a lack of intolerance. Picture: Jonathan Brady/WPA Pool/Getty Images

It was a nicely unequivocal stance from a future King at a time when the Israel Folau situation has Australia in its thrall. But then, the Prince has been an LGBTQI advocate for a while.

In 2016, he became the first royal to appear on the cover of a gay magazine, fronting an issue of Attitude and was quoted saying, “No-one should be bullied for their sexuality or any other reason.”

William becane the first royal to appear on the cover of a gay magazine in 2016.

However, Wills’ most recent remarks do bear a little more scrutiny.

The Prince has received glowing reviews for these comments, but showing a lack of intolerance seems a pretty low bar to earn rapturous applause.

Wills went on to say this week: “It worries me, not because of them being gay, it worries me as to how everyone else will react and perceive it and then the pressure is then on them.

“I support whatever decision they make, but it does worry me from a parent’s point of view how many barriers, hateful words, persecution and discrimination that might come. That’s the bit that troubles me a little bit.”

Britain's Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, was all smiles at a public event tackling the issues of LGBTQI youth homelessness. Picture: Jonathan Brady/AP

For one thing, “decision” — it is ignorant to suggest that sexuality is a simple conscious choice.

More broadly, Wills’ stance seems loaded with the assumption that life for all non-heterosexual people is inherently, and will always be, laden with persistent suffering and ill treatment.

I’m not naive enough to suggest that all discrimination and hate for LGBTQI people has miraculously evaporated in society — just look at the recent appalling attack on a lesbian couple on a London bus — but I do think Wills’ thinking reflects the deeply outdated belief that if any of his children are LGBTQI, their lives will be inherently more difficult.

Next, let’s talk about what “barriers” Wills thinks his children might face. These kids’ dad will one day technically have his own armed forces. Their family is collectively worth billions. Aunty Meghan has Oprah on speed dial.

Irrespective of their adult identities, theirs will always be a privileged existence. The challenges that non-royal members of the LGBTQI community face are very unlikely to be ones that one of the Cambridge children would ever have to contend with in their rarefied world.

For example, their physical safety will never be an issue — they will always have protection officers.

The Duke’s privileged children would be unlikely to face any barriers, regardless of their sexuality. Picture: Trevor Adams/Matrix Pictures

Prince William continued, saying: “The one thing I’d be worried about is how they — particularly the roles my children fill — is how that is going to be interpreted and seen.”

The roles the Cambridge children will fill will be entirely be dictated (and constrained and limited) by their surname and who their father is. The judgement his children will face in adulthood, I would think, will most likely have much more to do with how they spend their time, their money and use their royal platform, rather than who they love.

Yes, their romantic lives will always be a source of fascination for the press and the public that has much less to do with their sexuality and far more to do with being a member of the world’s most famous family.

And what exactly does he mean by “interpreted and seen”? I believe the first wedding of an LGBTQI senior royal will rightfully be greeted with the same hysteria and cavalcade of commemorative tea towels as any other royal wedding would.

Finally, the big question here is what Wills does when he becomes King and ruler of the Commonwealth?

Currently, there are 37 member countries that have laws which criminalise homosexuality. If Wills really wants to show his children that he loves and accepts them, no matter who they fall for, then he should start by petitioning and advocating for an end to some of the very real “barriers” and “worries” that members of the LGBTQI communities in these 37 countries face.

Daniela Elser is a royal expert and freelance writer with 20 years’ experience who has written for some of Australia’s best print and digital media brands | Continue the conversation @DanielaElser