How Queen Elizabeth Has Molded Prince William Into A Future King
Divorce in any family is a life-changing event. The dissolution of a family unit is always traumatic, and especially so if there are children involved. It would be hard enough to deal with your parents splitting up as just a regular citizen, but imagine having to deal with that when you are part of the most famous royal family in the world. All of your family drama is out there for the world to see and judge. That is what happened to Prince William and his brother, Prince Harry, in 1995 when his father, Prince Charles, and his mother, Princess Diana of Wales, had their legendary divorce.
Prince William was just a 13-year-old boy when his life as he knew it was torn apart. Because of this, his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II was understandably concerned. According to People, she was so concerned that she began inviting her teenage grandson to visit her on the weekends at Windsor Castle. While these visits were special times between a grandmother and her beloved grandson, they were also integral to their relationship as queen and heir. Over the last two decades, the queen has used these weekly visits to help counsel and guide Prince William on his road to becoming a future ruling monarch of the United Kingdom.
Weekend visits to shape the future
It may be natural to assume that these visits were the idea of Queen Elizabeth herself, but in actuality, it was the brainchild of her late husband, Prince Philip. Yahoo states that it was his way of supporting and encouraging their relationship, as William is second in line for the throne. While Prince Philip believed that nurturing the bond between the two was important, he also made a concerted effort not to interfere in any of the "royal business" the two discussed. These lunches and weekend meetings had a tendency to be more serious in nature, with the queen taking active steps to mold William into a future king.
While it may seem like all of Queen Elizabeth's focus is purely on William, this does not mean that she doesn't have a relationship with Prince William's brother, Prince Harry. The dynamic between those two is simply different, Yahoo reports. With Prince Harry, they seem to have a more lighthearted and laid-back connection, while things with Prince William are more focused on his future. Though they are different, it is evident that Queen Elizabeth loves them both and her support has been an integral part of the men they have become.