Prince William has been flooded by more media storms than can be counted on a finger – from racism allegations to criticism over hunting endangered species.
While Prince Harry revealed in his memoir that he had been sacrificed on a numbers of occasions as the royal family’s “spare” to save the public image of King Charles’ elder son.
But even that couldn’t save the Princess of Wales’ reputation, and so we’re looking at five of the biggest storms faced by him.
1. Breaking up with Kate Middleton over a phone call
Once upon a time in 2006, the Prince of Wales had an argument with then-girlfriend Kate Middleton and chose to part ways with her via a phone call made shortly before New Year’s Eve.
Author Robert Jobson wrote in Catherine, the Princess of Wales: “Seemingly out of the blue, Prince William telephoned her to suggest that they split up.”
“He told her they both needed 'a bit of space,' was unable to promise her marriage. It was a devastating blow to Kate Middleton, who felt doubly let down at being dumped over the phone.”
2. Work-shy William
The Sun had famously nicknamed King Charles’ older son as “Work-Shy William” while running a headline that called him the “throne idle” future king.
This was because the number of royal duties fulfilled by him every year was much lower than those engagements completed by other family members at the same age.
A peak point of disapproval came from the public when he chose to skip Westminster Abbey’s Commonwealth Day in 2017 to go for skiing in Switzerland, where model Sohpie Taylor was pictured having a gala with him.
3. Dancing with women at a nightclub (disloyalty to wife)
From time spent at the same skiing holiday, The Sun obtained an explosively controversial footage of Prince William, showing him dance his heart out at a nightclub.
He had grabbed a woman by her waist, but it was not Kate Middleton!
The headline read: “WHAT WILLS KATE SAY? Prince William dirty dances with TWO beauties, gyrates as model 'slut drops' and puts hand on woman's waist in new embarrassing footage during lads' ski holiday.”
4. Racism
The Prince of Wales was called out for making racist comments about the “impact of the human population on the environment in Africa.”
Present at the Tusk Conservations Awards in 2021, he said, “The increasing pressure on Africa’s wildlife and wild spaces as a result of human population presents a huge challenge for conservationists, as it does the world over.”
“There are too many Africans' is quite the position,” said Founder of Black List, Franklin Leonard.
British author Bolu Babalola wrote, “Lol, he is so hateful. It’s actually funny.”
5. Ukraine War
Bernice King, who is the daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., slammed the Prince William for his remarks on Russia’s invasion of Europe that were made during a March 2022 visit to Ukrainian Cultural Centre
King Charles’ elder son said, “Everyone is horrified by what they are seeing. The news every day, it’s almost unfathomable to actually witness it, to see it. For our generation, it’s very alien to see this in Europe. We’re all right behind you.”
Bernice King wrote on X, “Horrific comment. European people ran roughshod over the continent of Africa, pillaging communities, raping women, enslaving human beings, colonizing for profit and power, stealing resources, causing generational devastation. And European nations continue to harm Africa.”
“I believe that we have a great deal of work to do globally to eradicate what my father called the Triple Evils of Militarism, Racism and Poverty,” she added.
*Bonus: Ongoing brawl with Prince Harry*
Prince William’s seemingly never-ending feud with Prince Harry is by far the biggest scandal attached to his name as it has now swallowed the entire royal family into it.
The Duke of Sussex wrote about being assaulted by him in the memoir Spare.
He said, “Prince William set down the water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor.”
“I landed on the dogs’ bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out,” Prince Harry added.
