The right-wing media have surprisingly spent consecutive days attacking Prince William. Columnists have argued that he has drifted from the late Queen’s example, while others went further, portraying a prince absorbed in repeated holidays, absent from key moments, and planning a retreat to Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park. The speed and sharpness of the criticism surprised readers accustomed to more protective coverage.

  • Headlines from SheKnows and The Sun warning that Prince William’s downsized monarchy and retreat to Forest Lodge risk a “part-time king” image and weakening ties with the public.
  • Amanda Platell and Liz Jones headlines in the Daily Mail criticizing Prince William for abandoning the late Queen’s example, prioritizing leisure, and disappointing supporters.

The Mail Turns on its Heir

Liz Jones, a writer for the Daily Mail listed a year of leisure and thin duty. She pointed to the family’s Greek island yacht trip, two ski holidays in winter and at Easter, and a February getaway to Mustique that clashed with the BAFTAs, an event William was expected to attend as its president. She noted that the Waleses marked the 80th VJ Day with a social post while veterans gathered without them. Her column also flagged the decision to make Forest Lodge the family’s long-term base rather than Buckingham Palace. For Jones, the late Queen chose duty over comfort. She expects the same from her grandson.

Another Daily Mail columnist, Amanda Platell, delivered a similar message. It warned that William had strayed from the values his grandmother embodied. Back-to-back criticism from two familiar Mail voices framed a new mood, one of discontent with the future king.

A Shrinking Court And The Rise Of Part-Time King William

Right on the heels of these Daily Mail critical pieces, The Sun aired a segment where royal journalist Robert Jobson and Ailsa Anderson, the late Queen’s former press secretary, discussed the risks of a slimmed-down monarchy. Reducing the number of engagements, he argued, could weaken the monarchy’s connection with the public. Next, another outlet, SheKnows reported that Prince William’s decision to base his family at Forest Lodge risked reinforcing the perception of a “part-time king.”

Since their marriage, William and Kate Middleton have faced criticism for a lighter workload. Those criticisms, however, often carried less weight than scrutiny directed at other members of the family. The current situation appears different. With King Charles getting his wish for a slimmed monarchy and older royals stepping back from public life due to age, attention now falls more directly on the Prince and Princess of Wales.

With greater visibility, William and Kate face scrutiny for every absence and choice of privacy over duty. Media narratives now cast them as central to the monarchy’s survival. Yet right-wing historian David Starkey argues the institution may last through William’s reign but not beyond, warning it has lost purpose and legitimacy. Anderson would agree with Starkey, as she said on the Sun panel, that William and Kate’s lack of work ethic “feeds into the republican idea of why do we need a monarchy.”

Workload Gaps And Media Pedestal

The figures tell their own story. By mid-2025, King Charles had carried out 233 solo engagements despite ongoing cancer treatment, while Camilla had totalled over 100. William has managed 71 solo, and Catherine just 9 solo with 22 joint. Once, the press excused her low numbers by citing motherhood, though Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana balanced royal duty with young children. Now recovery from cancer is used, even after repeated assurances she is cancer-free, while Charles himself continues, while still having cancer. The greater issue remains William’s lack of drive, exposing a work ethic unworthy of the future king.

Critics readily call William workshy, noting his homelessness campaign rings hollow alongside multiple royal homes. His helicopter hops, private jets, and megayachts sit uneasily with his green rhetoric, while many argue his appearances feel like curated PR to justify public funding or shadow Prince Harry’s lead.

Historian Tessa Dunlop, reflected on how the predominantly right-wing press had elevated William and Kate to what she described as an “untouchable pedestal.” With the departure of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, she suggested, the couple lost a natural source of comparison. The pedestal, she argued, may have limited accountability while encouraging a sense of entitlement to do as they please.

The tabloids built up this version of William while driving Harry and Meghan out. Now the same media ecosystem complains when the heir shows a lighter schedule, despite giving him a free pass for years. The relentless scrutiny aimed at the Sussexes often suggested Harry had abandoned the throne itself, yet William, the actual future of the monarchy, was rarely held to account.

Final Thoughts

Royal watchers have seen this pattern before. Complaints surface in late summer, wholesome family photos appear in autumn, and by Christmas, the press restores the shine. Meghan is often pulled back into the headlines as a convenient distraction whenever William’s image needs shelter. Few believe this cycle marks a true turning point.

Still, the tone has sharpened. Right-wing outlets, once unquestioning allies after the Sussex exit, now fire warning shots about the heir’s light workload. Historians add weight to the unease. They argue the monarchy may endure through William’s reign but is unlikely to survive beyond him, weakened by a crisis of relevance and authority.

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