Experts Say William’s ‘Tricky’ Temper Is No Secret ― and Harry May Have Been Right All Along
Fresh accounts from royal author say William’s “fiery temper” echoes Prince Harry’s troubling story in Spare.
Prince William is once again facing some uncomfortable questions about his temperament, though this time the scrutiny isn’t coming from Prince Harry. The latest claims are tied to royal author Robert Jobson, whose upcoming book, The Windsor Legacy: A Royal Dynasty of Secrets, Scandal, and Survival, explores the most complex parts of the Prince of Wales’s character. Just like the Duke of Sussex, who on several occasions has talked about his brother's fiery temper, even Jobson’s admissions suggest that William may have a far more volatile streak than the public has been led to believe.
According to excerpts of his book shared by Celebitchy, Palace insiders have described William as someone who is prone to “mood swings” and overly “assertive with his father,” adding that he can display a “fiery temper” and is at times quite “difficult to handle.” The author himself went a step further during his appearance on The Daily T podcast for The Telegraph, adding more to his assessment of their heir apparent. “He’s tricky,” Jobson remarked, also adding, “I think that there’s no doubt that the king used to get on better with Harry [than William].” He continued, “[William] can be quite, not controlling, but he’s a bit tricky. He’s got a bit of a temper.”
Jobson’s comments quickly struck a nerve with many, especially because they echo accusations that have long followed the future King. Readers of Prince Harry’s 2023 tell-all memoir Spare will remember the explosive scene in which Harry described a confrontation between the brothers over Meghan Markle. As per the Duke of Sussex, the argument escalated after William reportedly called Markle “difficult,” “rude,” and “abrasive.” The verbal altercation soon turned physical, with the Prince of Wales grabbing Harry by his collar. “It all happened so fast,” Harry wrote in his book. “He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor… I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out.”
The heir apparent’s temper has also been explored in several other royal commentaries. Robert Lacey, in his 2020 book Battle of Brothers, talked about William’s demeanor when Queen Camilla married into the family. “He has proved no Sweet William when roused,” Lacey wrote in his book. He also added that Camilla once told her friends that she was startled by “the ranting and raving that William unleashed on occasion against her husband in her presence,” noting that she had told them, “The boy’s got a temper!” Even royal watchers have long debated how much of this behavior the public has truly seen.
As per Page Six, royal author Tom Quinn suggested, “Occasionally, William has little tantrums and irritations if things aren’t done the way he wants them done [as heir to the British throne].” He also noted that over this matter Princess Kate has tried her best to steady the influence “in the same way that she manages the tantrums of their three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.” Quinn noted with a hint of humor, “There’s a joke among the staff that Kate treats William as the fourth because he occasionally behaves like one.” With several royal writers describing the same pattern, the Prince of Wales’s image may face a steeper hill to climb.
