Prince William’s New Role in the Family

With DYNASTY: The Royal Family’s Most Challenging Year, Vanity Fair’s podcast on powerful families returns for a look at how the Windsors have navigated recent crises, beginning with Prince William, the family “glue.”

When the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla took place on a sunny morning in May 2023, heir apparent Prince William was by his father’s side for the ritual, and next-in-line Prince George was following behind as a page boy. It was a moment of triumph for the Windsor clan after years of internal conflict and turmoil in British politics and society, and a sign that calmness could reign in the United Kingdom in the Carolean era.

Little did the royals know, they had an unprecedented year ahead of them. After the death of Queen Elizabeth, and amid multiple distressing cancer diagnoses, a horse accident, and ongoing family rifts, the Windsors have had to foreground their humanity and vulnerability. DYNASTY is returning to examine the events and share behind-the-scenes details about this most challenging year. We’ll take a look at how the king and queen are adjusting their plans, how Kate Middleton and William are handling the home front with the help of the Middletons, and how Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are building their own future at their Montecito estate.

On this week’s episode, hosts Claire Howorth, Katie Nicholl, and Erin Vanderhoof discuss William’s role as the royal responsible for holding the family together through the maelstrom. How has William balanced his public role with his private challenges? Has he recovered from the hit to his reputation after Harry spilled their brotherly secrets in his memoir, Spare? And, should William’s reign come sooner than anyone imagined, will he be prepared to be king?

New episodes of DYNASTY drop every Thursday. Subscribe at listen.vanityfair.com/dynasty or wherever you get your podcasts.