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They come under fire in recent months , particularly Prince William.
Labeled “work-shy” and accused of wanting to be a country gentleman, Prince William has remained quiet about talk that he isn’t fulfilling as many royal duties as his relatives.
Nor is he, reports claim, seriously committed to his job as a pilot with East Anglia Ambulance Services.
“He’s hardly ever on shift,” once source told the Sun.
“He was very enthusiastic to begin with but it tailed off. It’s supposed to be four on, four off but with the Duke it’s more off than on. It’s fine that he gets a bit of special treatment but it’s beginning to really annoy some people. The rumour is that he’s just a bit bored of it.”
On March 7th, the Duke and Duchess released a series of family photos from their private holiday in the Swiss Alps.
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This, however, infuriated veteran royal reporters, who complained that the royal family used to invite a press pack for a photo op before agreeing to leave the family alone for the remainder of the trip.
“Unlike royal ski holidays of old – when a group of photographers was invited to capture the family relaxing on the slopes – the Cambridges chose to escape the country without telling the media of their plans,” the Daily Mail wrote.
“Instead of arranging a photo-call to mark the getaway, William and Kate invited only a single Press Association photographer, who took a small number of posed portraits,” the piece pointed out.
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“Six carefully selected photographs were then released to the Press yesterday morning, hours after the family’s return.”
The British media aren’t pleased with the way William is changing the rules of royal exposure, calling out his stubbornness and contentious relationship with the press, which began after the untimely death of his mother in 1997.
Royal biographer Penny Junor wrote a rebuttal of sorts for the Telegraph, defending William’s decision to protect his children from the media.
“He unashamedly spends time with his children – as most young fathers choose to do these days if they can possibly afford and arrange it – and it is perhaps no coincidence that, as we now know, a lot of mental health problems stem from childhood trauma and neglect,” Junor pointed out.
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“He regards creating a happy family and being there for his children a top priority. His own childhood was tremendously difficult and filled with sadness and loss. Charles was a doting father but he was a workaholic and seldom had time to spend with William and Harry. They saw far more of their nannies than they ever saw of their father, and William doesn’t want the same for George and Charlotte.”
Today, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge focused on engagements that highlighted suicide prevention. The royal couple met with Johnny Benjamin, who attempted suicide in 2008, but was saved by a stranger.
The rescue inspired Johnny to launch a social media campaign in 2014 called #FindMike in order to find the man who saved him. Johnny partnered with Rethink Mental Illness and was able to locate the hero, Neil Laybourn.
William and Catherine have done an incredible job at erasing the stigma of mental illness, both in children and in adults. Their work has helped countless people so far through education, prevention and support, something I’ve seen happen here in the states as well.
The nickname “reluctant royals” is a bit tough to understand when you look at the message William and Catherine are trying to get across when it comes to helping people become happier and healthier. And if they are adamant about more privacy for their children, then there isn’t a lot anyone can say to change their minds.
I acknowledge the frustration on the part of the media, especially those members of the accredited press who are used to getting more access to the royals, but just as the world changes, so much the monarchy.
If this is the new path that William is creating for his court, then it’s something both royal fans and the media must get used to.
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