Prince William, the Prince of Wales opened up about his destiny as King in a candid interview with Canadian actor Eugene Levy in Windsor. The Apple TV+ series is titled “The Reluctant Traveler.” The 43-year-old British royal said he will bring change to the monarchy when he is king.
The rare interview, palace sources say is the most open Prince William has ever been. The royal spoke about his parents’ divorce, his grandparents Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, family, kids, and media intrusion.
Additionally, a recurrent issue in their conversations is the stress of dealing with both his wife Kate Middleton and his father King Charles’s cancer. They also discussed him being an Aston Villa supporter. However, there was no mention of his and Prince Harry’s relationship.
“I think it’s safe to say that change is on my agenda. Change for good, and I embrace that, I enjoy that change. I don’t fear it, that’s the bit that excites me, the idea of being able to bring some change. Not overly radical, but changes that I think need to happen,” the prince said.
William showed Levy around Windsor Castle. He used an electric scooter to navigate the castle grounds when he arrived to meet the actor. He said he enjoyed the American Pie film series, which featured Levy as a long-suffering father.
The father-of-three discussed his family history while touring some of the Castle’s grandest rooms.
“I think if you’re not careful, history can be a real weight and an anchor around you, and you can feel suffocated by it, and restricted by it too much. And I think it’s important to live for the here and now.”
To keep the monarchy relevant, William emphasised the value of tradition but said he isn’t scared to ask questions.
“There are points when you look at tradition and go, is that still fit for purpose today? Is that still the right thing to do? Are we still doing and having the most impact we could be having?
“So I like to question things, is what I’m really getting at.”
Talking about family he said, “Stuff to do with family overwhelms me, quite a bit. You know, worry or stress around the family side of things – that does overwhelm me quite a bit.”
During the interview, the actor and the prince took Orla, the family dog, for a walk around the Castle. Later, William took Levy to the Two Brewers pub near Windsor Castle, where they sat and chatted over a pint of sweet cider, and a pint of Guinness.
The prince seemed at ease in this casual atmosphere, particularly when discussing his family and how his kids handled their mother’s illness.
“We try to make sure we give them the security and the safety that they need,” he told Levy.
“And we’re a very open family, so we talk about things that bother us, and things that trouble us, but you never quite know the knock on effects that it can have. And so, it’s just important to be there for each other and to kind of reassure the children that everything is okay.”
During the interview, William mentioned Harry when asked about his upbringing as a prince and the harsh scrutiny his parents endured.
“I hope we don’t go back to some of the practices in the past that Harry and I grew up in. And I’ll do everything I can to make sure we don’t regress in that situation.”
Levy told BBC that he was taken aback by William’s candid talk in the interview.
The prince said that he wants to build a world that his son would be proud of as they finish their beers and wrap up their day together.
“You know life is sent to test us as well and it definitely can be challenging at times, and being able to overcome that is what makes us who we are.
“I’m so proud of my wife and my father, for how they’ve handled all of last year. My children have managed brilliantly as well.”
“The Reluctant Traveler With Eugene Levy” episode 304 “Living the Royal Life in the UK” will debut worldwide on Apple TV+ on Oct 3, Friday.