How the Queen and Prince Philip went from ‘formal’ to ‘fam’
Prince William is getting candid about life behind palace doors and it’s surprisingly heartwarming.
In a rare moment of reflection, the future king opened up about his changing relationship with his late grandparents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, during an appearance on The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy on Apple TV.
The royal revealed that what began as a rather formal bond gradually transformed into something warmer and more personal over the years.
Growing up under the weight of royal protocol, William admitted that bridging the generational gap wasn’t always easy.
But as time went on and as the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh embraced a gentler, more family-focused side in their later years their connection deepened in ways he treasures today.
“My grandparents were of a different generation,” William admitted.
“When we were younger, it was harder to have that very close relationship because it was quite formal, but as they got older and I got older, it got warmer and warmer.”
He fondly pinpointed their later years as the golden era of their bond: “I definitely think my relationship was best with my grandparents when they were more in their, sort of, 80s when they’d sort of relaxed a little bit.”
From balcony waves at Trooping the Colour to cosy family moments at Balmoral, William shared countless memories with the late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh memories later expanded to include Princess Kate and their children, George, Charlotte, and Louis, who affectionately called them “Gan-Gan” and “Great-Grandpa.”
And when it comes to his own destiny as future monarch, William admits the thought once felt “daunting.”
But time, he says, has changed that too. Now, with experience and perhaps a little of his grandparents’ calm wisdom he’s learned to take even the unexpected in royal stride.
