William talked about a series of personal matters in candid interview (Image: GETTY)
In a candid interview with Eugene Levy, the Prince of Wales, 43, stepped out from behind the formality of royal duties and opened up on everything from Princess Kate’s cancer journey to his children’s everyday lives. From strolling around Windsor Castle to sitting down for a pint in a local pub, Prince William revealed how tough 2024 had been for the family.
Confessions from “missing his grandmother and grandfather” to everyday “stresses” were revealed and shared with the actor. Here The Express shares seven bombshell interview moments.
Episode four of The Reluctant Traveller With Eugene Levy, called Living the Royal Life in the UK, premiered on Friday, October 3 on Apple TV+.
Windsor Castle was William’s playground growing up
Prince William recalled racing through St. George’s Hall as a child and fond memories experienced at Windsor Castle.
“My cousins and I, and the family, would chase each other up and down here and do silly games,” he says.
“And I remember these carpets weren’t here, and there were a couple of spots where you used to have to watch out because you’d get massive splinters because the old floor was old wood, an old oak floor.”
He added: “My children don’t realise how lucky they are, they’ve got a big old carpet they can run down and there’s no splinters!”
The Prince was a big American Pie film fan
Host, Eugene Levy, famously starred in American Pie, a teen drama which was released in 1999.
William said: “I heard you were in town, so I thought why not get you over here. I was a big fan of your earlier films, Eugene, all the American Pies.
Levy said, “Oh, yeah?” to which William replied, “I’m afraid I was, I was of that generation.”
Read more: Prince Harry ‘can’t help himself’ as former royal aide tears into the Duke
Read more: Eugene Levy exposes what Prince William is really like
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Prince William questions ‘royal tradition’
William says he wants to honour tradition while questioning what still works for today.
He said: “If you’re not careful, history can be a real weight and an anchor around you, and you can feel suffocated by it and restricted by it too much. And I think it’s important to live, for the here and now.”
He added: “I want to question things more. I think it’s very important that tradition stays, and tradition has a huge part in all of this, but there’s also points where you look at tradition and go, ‘Is that still fit for purpose today? Is that still the right thing to do? Are we still doing and having the most impact we could be having?’ So, I like to question things is what I’m really getting at.”
The Prince wants to bring in ‘change’ when he’s King
William knows the type of monarch he intends to be.
He said: “I think it’s safe to say that change is on my agenda. Change for good. And I embrace that and I enjoy that change — I don’t fear it. That’s the bit that excites me, the idea of being able to bring some change. Not overly radical change, but changes that I think need to happen.”
William sat down for a pint with the host (Image: PA / The relucant traveler)
Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Louis do not have mobile phones
William said: “None of our children have any phones, which we’re very strict about.”
He did admit that he encourages the children to participate in outdoor activities, confessing Louis enjoys his trampolining, Charlotte enjoys her netball, and George loves football and hockey.
“Keeping them busy with sports and being outdoors is really important” the Prince added.
Balancing family and work life is a priority for the Prince
William said: “Getting the balance of work and family life right is really important, Because for me, the most important thing in my life is family, and everything is about the future and about if you don’t start the children off now with a happy, healthy, stable home, I feel you’re setting them up for a bit of a hard time and a fall. And so, it’s about making sure that we can look after our families, look after our children, in a way that is best for their future.”
He’s proud of his wife and father
Reflecting on the King and Kate’s cancer diagnoses and a tough 2024, William said: “You know, I’m so proud of my wife and my father for how they’ve handled all of last year. My children have managed brilliantly as well.”
When Levy asks how William’s wife and father are amid their cancer journeys, he replied, “Yes, things are good. Everything is progressing in the right way, which is all good news.”
Speaking of how his children coped with the past year, he said: “Everyone has their own coping mechanisms for these sorts of things, and children are constantly learning and adapting.”
“We try to make sure we give them the security and the safety that they need. And we’re a very open family, so we talk about things that bother us, and things that trouble us, but you never quite know the knock-on effects that it can have. And so, it’s just important to be there for each other and to kind of reassure the children that everything is okay.”