Prince William is revolutionising how the royal family communicates with the public through carefully chosen candid interviews that avoid the formal stiffness of previous generations, according to former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond.
A New Approach to Royal Communication
The Prince of Wales has been opening up about his family life in recent interviews, including a revealing conversation with Brazilian TV host Luciano Huck during his Earthshot Prize trip. William discussed the universal parenting dilemma of when to give children mobile phones, sharing that he and Princess Kate are considering a compromise by potentially allowing Prince George a basic 'brick phone' as he approaches his teenage years.
This isn't the first time William has chosen to speak personally about family matters. Earlier this year, he appeared on Eugene Levy's The Reluctant Traveller docuseries, where he addressed Kate's health challenges. According to Bond, this marks a significant departure from the communication strategies of King Charles and Princess Diana.
Learning from Past Royal Interview Disasters
Jennie Bond, who spent years as the BBC's royal correspondent, revealed that securing proper interviews with royal family members was once 'just a dream'. She noted that when Charles and Diana eventually did sit-down interviews, both proved to be 'disasters' - a lesson William appears to have taken to heart.
'William has found a way of allowing us to know some of his most personal thoughts and feelings in a very natural and rather charming way,' Bond told the Mirror. 'A formal sit-down interview is inevitably rather stiff and staged. His words are reaching a multigenerational and far broader audience than if he did a formal interview with mainstream media.'
The Impact of William's Honest Approach
During his Brazil interview, William also spoke about the family's decision to be open with George, Charlotte and Louis about their mother's cancer diagnosis in 2024. Bond emphasised that this honesty reflects William's clear philosophy that children should hear difficult news directly from their parents rather than through media reports.
'Parents across the world will identify with the concerns that both William and Catherine have about allowing their children mobile smart phones,' Bond stated. 'Discussing dilemmas like that makes the Prince very relatable.'
The former royal correspondent believes these strategic personal revelations are brilliantly executed. William comes across as a hugely likable, highly relatable husband and Dad who, like millions of other parents, is simply trying to navigate the best way to raise his young family in a complex world.
This modern approach to royal communication not only makes the future king more accessible but also stands in stark contrast to the formal interviews that previously caused problems for the monarchy. By choosing his moments and platforms carefully, William is building connection without the stiffness that characterised royal communications of the past.
