Prince Charles ‘reduced to tears’ by Prince William’s plans

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, known as the Duke of Rothesay when in Scotland, arrives at the Ballater Community and Heritage Hub — (Image credit: Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Prince Charles has revealed he was “reduced to tears” by Prince William’s future plans for the Duchy of Cornwall which he will inherit after his father takes the throne.

The Prince of Wales admitted he was brought to tears by his son’s heartfelt remarks about his future royal inheritance.
Prince Charles shared that hearing Prince William’s powerful words made the half-century he’s spent building up the Duchy of Cornwall truly worthwhile.
This royal news comes as Duchess Camilla opens up about a tragic memory of her mother—“we just watched her shrinking before our eyes”.

Prince Charles expressed his huge admiration for Prince William’s plans for a major royal inheritance, revealing he was even “reduced to tears” by his eldest son’s remarks. As the oldest of Queen Elizabeth’s children and first in the royal line of succession, Prince Charles was invested as the Prince of Wales in 1958 and is also Duke of Cornwall, as well as holding several other titles. All of these are expected to be inherited by the Duke of Cambridge after his father ascends to the throne.

And it seems Prince William already has a pretty good idea of the direction he wants to take when it comes to the prestigious Duchy of Cornwall. Opening up in the 2019 documentary, Prince Charles: Inside the Duchy of Cornwall, he told Mervyn Keeling that family is the most important thing.

“I’ve started to think about how I will inherit the Duchy one day and what I do with it,” the Queen’s grandson explained. “I think it’s really important, about the family angle, I really do.”

The proud father of three also discussed how he’d begun thinking about passing the vast estate onto his children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, when the time eventually comes.

Prince William’s appreciation for the family connection and deep affection for all the Duchy of Cornwall stands for and has built up is something that reportedly deeply moved his father. As reported by The Sun, the Prince of Wales has now spoken about his reaction to watching the programme, revealing it was an emotional experience.

“When I saw it, I couldn’t believe it ‒ I was deeply touched and moved by what he said,” Prince Charles is said to have admitted. "Frankly, it reduced me to tears. It did really because I suddenly thought well, just hearing that from him made the last 50 years worthwhile."

Prince William visits Duchy Home Farm With Prince Charles

Both father and son share a passion for conservation and moving towards a more sustainable future. It’s also said that they have grown closer over the years, in light of recent events including Prince Harry and Meghan’s decision to “step back” as senior royals and Prince Andrew and the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

According to The Sun, royal expert Emily Andrews has said, “Over the past two years, the two men have become much closer, their bond much stronger.

“Partly, this is natural as they get older and realise their shared values—a current Prince of Wales and his successor—in protecting the monarchy. But also, it has been a necessity as the institution has suffered blows to its reputation.”

Prince Charles smiling with his teenage son Prince William at the start of their annual skiing holidays

And whilst Prince William is already well on the way to determining how the Duchy of Cornwall should evolve in the future, it’s said that the Prince of Wales has already started to “streamline” the monarchy ahead of becoming king.

It’s also been claimed that Prince Charles might hope to keep Highgrove House in Gloucestershire as his family home when he takes the throne, though Buckingham Palace is expected to remain the principal royal residence.

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Emma is a Royal Editor with nine years of experience in publishing. She specialises in writing about the British Royal Family, covering everything from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her extensive royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the latest royal outing or unmissable show to add to your to-watch list, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!