Amid the greatest crisis the royal family has faced in recent memory, there are concerns that after less than two years as Prince of Wales, Prince William may be unfit to take the throne.
And it seems that those concerns not just coming from fearful outsiders.
According to a new report from In Touch, King Charles himself is worried that William might not be ready to step into the role of monarch.
Charles, of course, spent decades preparing for his ascension, but William sadly may not have the same luxury.
At 76, Charles is battling cancer, and though the severity of his condition and the organs affected remain unclear (more on that later), insiders say the king is bracing himself for the worst.
That means preparing William to serve as monarch, a role Charles only stepped into in 2022.
Obviously, William has been in the spotlight his entire life, but the transition from Prince of Wales to King of the United Kingdom is a tricky one to navigate, and concerns about the heir’s qualifications are said to be exacerbating the current strain on the royals.
Prince William: Unfit to Rule, Or Simply Unprepared?
“Charles knows the pressures of being the monarch,” a source tells In Touch.
“And he just isn’t sure William is ready to take his place. It seems premature, and there could be consequences.”
One issue, it seems, is a perceived lack of maturity on William’s part.
Yes, Prince Harry might have a reputation as the family’s resident partier, but it seems that William still enjoys an occasional pint or four at his local.
According to In Touch, William is known to sip a few beers after work, followed by “several glasses of wine with dinner,” leading him to “wake up crabby.”
“Charles has counseled him that there can be no more carefree outings to the pub anymore,” the insider claims.
There are also concerns about William’s temper, especially after a passage in Harry’s memoir detailed a physical altercation between the brothers.
“Word is, the altercation Harry mentioned in Spare wasn’t the first to occur,” a second source claims.
“There was a growing rivalry between William and Harry ever since they were little and sometimes things got heated between them.”
All of this has led to great concern, as William has more on his plate these days than ever before.
In addition to the fact that William’s wife, Kate Middleton, is battling cancer, there have been rumors that the king’s condition is far worse than the public has been led to believe.
In fact, one insider alleges that Charles has pancreatic cancer and may not be long for this world.
King Charles Prognosis: Is It a Worst-Case Scenario?
“He has pancreatic cancer and has a maximum of two years to live,” the source tells In Touch.
The source adds that Charles “is willing to try any treatment to extend his life by a few years, at least,” but he’s well aware that when it comes to preparing William for the throne, time is of the essence.
“William does a very good job putting on a smile and calm face in public, but it does bother him,” the insider adds.
We’ll have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.
