Prince William has got ‘a lot of catching up to do’ as the Prince of Wales compared to when his father King Charles occupied the position, a royal biographer has claimed.
BBC journalist Huw Thomas, who has written a book about the King’s relationship with his eldest son, was speaking at the Hay Festival.
The King enjoyed a lavish investiture in Wales in 1969 after being taught to speak the language by a nationalist professor who was depicted in Netflix drama The Crown.
Charles also immersed himself in Welsh culture and history, helping him to develop a deep connection with the nation that he maintains to this day.
Mr Thomas speculated that William may now ‘supercharge’ his relationship with Wales as he seeks to emulate his father’s links with the nation.
Prince William has got ‘a lot of catching up to do’ as the Prince of Wales compared to when his father King Charles occupied the position, a royal biographer has claimed
The King enjoyed a lavish investiture in Wales in 1969 after being taught to speak the language by a nationalist professor who was depicted in Netflix drama The Crown. Above: Charles kneels before his mother the Queen at his investiture as she places his coronet on his head
Mr Thomas said: ‘He’s got a lot of catching up to do in terms of the public perception of him as a Prince of Wales,’ the Times reported.
‘The impression I get as well is that, after the coronation, there’s going to be a bit of a supercharge on the relationship of William with Wales. We’ll see what comes.’
An investiture for Prince William is not being planned and it is not clear what form any charm offensive would take.
He has also done little extracurricular work to prepare for his role, although the Prince did live in Anglesey with the Princess of Wales when he was a search and rescue pilot for the RAF.
Mr Thomas, the author of Charles: The King and Wales, added that William has started to adapt the role of Prince of Wales in his own image.
‘Maybe now there’s a focus on mental health initiatives or outdoors. It’s a bit more targeted to make sure William’s seen to be doing stuff that suits William,’ he said.
When he was a student at Cambridge, the King spent a term at the University of Aberystwyth in Wales to prepare for his investiture. Above: Charles leaving the university on his last day in June 1969
The author also highlighted William’s recent trips to the country, including his moving visit to Aberfan, where a the collapse of a heap of coal waste killed 144 people in 1966.
He said this is evidence of the ‘link’ being forged by the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Aberfan community.
When he was a student at Cambridge, the King spent a term at the University of Aberystwyth in Wales to prepare for his investiture.
There he was famously taught Welsh by nationalist academic Dr Tedi Milward.
He went on to become an ambassador for Wales and even referred to it as ‘my country’ during a conversation with an executive from Sony when they were looking to found a factory in Europe, Mr Thomas said.
Sony opted to build the factory in Bridgend in Wales. Charles opened the site in 1974.
During their visit to Aberfan in April, Kate and William spoke to survivors and parents of children who died in the 1966 disaster.
Gareth Jones, 63, who crawled out of a window of Pantglas School as his classmates were buried alive, met the royal couple.
Mr Thomas is the author of Charles: The King and Wales. He is seen promoting his book on ITV Wales show Sharp End
Mr Jones chatted with Kate outside the memorial gardens and said: ‘I told her I was a survivor – I think she was quite surprised.
‘She said she has three little children herself and can’t imagine what we went through. She said she felt for all the bereaved parents.
‘I spoke to Prince William after, he wanted to know the effect on families in the aftermath of what happened.
‘I told him: “We just had to get on with it.”
‘The Royal Family have never forgotten us and it was lovely to see the new Prince and Princess of Wales here to pay their respects.
‘People think the disaster is ancient history but to me it feels like it happened the other day.
‘I’m sure Prince William was told what happened here when he was growing up, it’s embedded in the royal family – there’s a special bond between us.’
During their visit to Aberfan in April, Kate and William spoke to survivors and parents of children who died in the 1966 disaster. Above: the couple at the Aberfan Memorial Garden
The couple met with schoolchildren as they arrived at the garden, which is located on the site where Pantglas school was tragically destroyed in a coal-tip landslide on 21st October 1966
The bestowal of the Prince of Wales title on William after the death of Queen Elizabeth II last September sparked anger among some Welsh people.
He was also criticised for sending a message of support to the England football team at last year’s World Cup.
The Welsh actor Michael Sheen claimed the Prince of Wales title has been used by the English as a ‘sign of dominance over a defeated Welsh people.’
He also accused William of not showing ‘a shred of embarrassment’ when he visited England’s St George’s Park training centre ahead of their flight to Qatar.
The star said it was ‘inappropriate’ for William to give them England shirts as the Prince of Wales – a title he believes should only be held by a Welshman.
He said: ‘I didn’t say it’s insensitive to leave out the Welsh team. For those who care the issue is that the title Prince of Wales seems inappropriate to be held by anyone not Welsh and this is just an instance of the absurdity’.
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