Prince William is getting the attention he craved this week, just days after his brother completed a very successful and high-profile visit to Canada. With William, his need for (unearned) validation is mostly about Harry, but it’s also about deflection. Deflection from his god-awful gaffes at the BAFTAs, deflection from the fact that the Princess of Wales has not been seen or heard from in two full months, deflection from the fact that William is deeply and profoundly unprepared. But like all of William’s stunts, his sudden statement this week on the Middle East conflict landed with a dull political thud. There are completely valid questions about whether William’s statement means that he will enter the political fray all the time now, whenever he feels like it. The reaction from Israel has been officially “whatever, fine” while behind the scenes, Israeli officials are bitching about his naivete. That extends to the reaction from civilian Israelis:
Israelis reacted with a mix of indifference and irritation to a rare political intervention from Prince William calling for “an end to the fighting in Gaza”.
The Prince of Wales issued the statement on Tuesday in co-ordination with the Foreign Office, using the same phrase as Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron that “too many have been killed” during the Israel-Hamas war while calling for more aid to be allowed into Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
Diplomatic sources suggested that less significance was being attached to the statement in Israel than in the UK. One aide to an Israeli MP compared the public reaction to previous calls from the Pope for a ceasefire in Gaza.
“The public is not impressed because the [Royal Family] does not have many powers,” the aide said.
Israeli social media discussion was often less respectful towards the British royal. Political lobbyist and former local government official Yamit Yanay-Malul accused the prince of a “ridiculous statement” and questioned whether he had used his connection to the Red Cross to press the charity to visit hostages in Gaza.
One Facebook commenter said Prince William should “first make peace with your brother”, alluding to the schism between Windsor and Prince Harry. Another urged him to “reprimand the citizens of Gaza, who co-operated with a…terror organisation”. Israeli news outlets carried reports on the statement, but typically short items placed below news on the progress of the war and negotiations with Hamas.
He “issued the statement on Tuesday in co-ordination with the Foreign Office” – no he didn’t. That was made clear by Kensington Palace’s briefings yesterday – the Foreign Office and Downing Street were merely “informed” of William’s statement but they did not coordinate with him about it. I genuinely believe that William has deeply irritated his Tory handlers, the men grooming him for the throne. As for “first make peace with your brother” – yeah, that’s another reason why William’s big political intervention falls flat. “Stop the violence, make peace” from a man who assaulted his brother, bullied his sister-in-law and, four years after their escape, he still seethes with violent rage about them. Hypocritical doesn’t even begin to cover it.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- Britain’s Prince William, The Prince of Wales, listens to Pascal Hundt, Senior Crisis Manager, International Committee of the Red Cross, dialling in from Gaza, during a visit of the British Red Cross at its headquarters in London, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. The Prince of Wales undertakes engagements which recognise the human suffering caused by the ongoing war in the Middle East and the subsequent conflict in Gaza, as well as the rise of antisemitism around the world. The Red Cross are providing humanitarian aid in the region via the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, including Magen David Adom in Israel and the Palestine Red Crescent Society.,Image: 848683223, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Kin Cheung / Avalon
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- Britain’s Prince William, The Prince of Wales, gestures as he visits the British Red Cross at its headquarters in London, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. The Prince of Wales undertakes engagements which recognise the human suffering caused by the ongoing war in the Middle East and the subsequent conflict in Gaza, as well as the rise of antisemitism around the world. The Red Cross are providing humanitarian aid in the region via the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, including Magen David Adom in Israel and the Palestine Red Crescent Society.,Image: 848683335, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Kin Cheung / Avalon
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- USA Rights Only – Jerusalem, Israel -20180628- The Duke of Cambridge during a visit to the Mount of Olives, near Jerusalem’s Old City, as part of his tour of the Middle East. -PICTURED: Duke of Cambridge -PHOTO by: Robin Nunn/PA Images/INSTARimages.com -37260209.jpg This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded Featuring: Prince William Where: Jerusalem, Israel, Israel When: 28 Jun 2018 Credit: Robin Nunn/PA Images/INSTARimages.com **USA Rights Only**
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- USA Rights Only – Jerusalem, Israel -20180628- The Duke of Cambridge during a visit to the Mount of Olives, near Jerusalem’s Old City, as part of his tour of the Middle East. -PICTURED: Duke of Cambridge -PHOTO by: Robin Nunn/PA Images/INSTARimages.com -37260207.jpg This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded Featuring: Prince William Where: Jerusalem, Israel, Israel When: 28 Jun 2018 Credit: Robin Nunn/PA Images/INSTARimages.com **USA Rights Only**
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- USA Rights Only – Jerusalem, Israel -20180628- The Duke of Cambridge during a visit to the Mount of Olives, near Jerusalem’s Old City, as part of his tour of the Middle East. -PICTURED: Duke of Cambridge -PHOTO by: Tim Rooke/PA Images/INSTARimages.com -37259982.jpg This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded Featuring: Prince William Where: Jerusalem, Israel, Israel When: 28 Jun 2018 Credit: Tim Rooke/PA Images/INSTARimages.com **USA Rights Only**
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- The Prince of Wales during a visit to the British Red Cross at its headquarters in central London, to hear about the humanitarian efforts taking place to support those affected by the conflict in Gaza Featuring: William, Prince of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 20 Feb 2024 Credit: Kin Cheung/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Prince of Wales during a visit to the British Red Cross at its headquarters in central London, to hear about the humanitarian efforts taking place to support those affected by the conflict in Gaza Featuring: William, Prince of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 20 Feb 2024 Credit: Kin Cheung/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Prince of Wales during a visit to the British Red Cross at its headquarters in central London, to hear about the humanitarian efforts taking place to support those affected by the conflict in Gaza Featuring: William, Prince of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 20 Feb 2024 Credit: Kin Cheung/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
William does not want to turn the gaze of real critical thinkers, power players (both evil and good), and politicians on him. If he no longer serves the interests of the Murdochs, he’s done. He does not want to raise questions with real people, who otherwise dgaf about royals.
He’s much much better off with an army of simpletons insisting he’s just wonderful for British Tourism and insisting he’s a Keen statesman. Actually trying to be something beyond this will destroy him and the monarchy.
He may be Keen but he’s not Keenough.
Bravo! Well done! My first hard core laugh of the day! Thank you!
🤣🤣🤣
😂😂😂
@Water Lilly wins the day! ROFL!
As a Ken fan, I thank you.😅😅
Water Lily, Spot on! – truly LOL! –
LMAO!!!
Perfection!
That’s it, after this comment there’s no point in ever reading any comment section ever again 🤣
He should stick to what’s he’s good at, being a scary weirdo obsessively fondling his scarf. Kate made a big mistake marrying that freak. Where is Kate, BTW?
Willy grabbed most of the front pages yesterday and That is all he will care about. His idea of being a Global Stateman consists of issuing the occassional pronouncement in favour of world peace.
Miss Congeniality did it better.
Best put down, ever! First make peace with your brother 😂😂😂😂😂😂
His need for publicity rivals Trump’s.
The whole world knows that Will’s full time job is to smear Harry and Meghan.
His sudden statement (hardly an ‘intervention’) feels like he woke up with a massive hangover after the BAFTAS, saw the unflattering headlines and ridiculous photos of himself, flew into a rage, decided on a whim that he should get the Nobel peace prize, that’ll show Harry and the rest, and shouted at his private secretary to do something.
Perfect!
This is exactly how I believe it went down.😅
I really think you’ve nailed it!
William has delusions of grandeur. His father and grandmother should have reined him in years ago
Oh, yes! I also seem to never understand this whole “we fear William’s rage” attitude from the firm, I mean, they’ve reined back kings and prime ministers but they can’t deal with William?
At rhe end of the day, if you really think about it, what can William do? There’s always a bigger dog, and he’s an out of control Chihuahua.
I have a tinfoil tiara feeling that William has always used having one foot out the door as a mechanism to get his way with Grandma and Pops. There’s been so many stories about him being “a reluctant king” that it makes me think there’s serious concerns behind the scenes that he’ll quit and/or abdicate. I think that’s why everyone treats him with kid gloves and blows so much smoke up his ass.
At this point, they should just call his bluff. Find a regent that’s not Harry or Andrew and keep it moving.
I believe his TBI has a lot to do with it. He suffered a frontal lobe injury. People with these injuries have a lack of inibition and impulse control. I think “they” afraid of the consequences if they confront him with anything. He could follow up on threats to walk away (abdicate) or spill private family information to his media “friends”. Just my 2 cents. I have a sister with a TBI and have seen this firsthand.
Its interesting but not surprising that the men who run the monarchy saw it prudent and correct to ‘school’ the female would-be monarch, elizabeth 2nd., while her father was in the post and she became the heir-apparent while still a little girl.
They took over her education and dictated her social life and maintained a tight control over her such that she never said or did anything throughout her entire life, without authorization from her managers.
But it seems to me that no such control was held over the male heirs or monarchs. And I’m really only referencing the period 19th to the 21st century and basing this observation on The Crown + bite-sized info from the available historical records.
I mean, consider how chucky was handled during his long apprenticeship period. From he hit his teens it was clear that he was treated differently from how his mother was treated while both were heirs-apparent. And this is in addition to the dictatorial control that men in general exerted over women in general in virtually all societies, pre women’s lib.
Even tho his probation period was longer than his mother’s, there is no doubt that chucky had much greater freedom and autonomy than his mother at any period in her life.
But even so, it appears that the grey men exerted greater control over chucky than they have had over bully. Bully seems to have been left to run amok: his born privilege was never checked. He was pampered and treated as special from the moment he was born and it appears that even his mother’s much heralded attempts to instill discipline in him didnt stick.
So now we have this raging sociopath heading for the throne of the failing state called the uk.
Pass the popcorn.
I guess his prep school and/or university did not cover the lesson to never go into a battle of wits unarmed. Or maybe he skipped class that day it was covered.
Like the article said other leaders are already trying to negotiate peace in Gaza. This is likely Will jumping in so that if any efforts are effective he can point back to his statement and claim it made all the difference. He did something similar with taking credit for ivory trade ending after many governments had negotiated on the topic. The Israeli statements are a bit naive also. The citizens of Gaza didn’t all “co-operate” with Hamas. The majority had no choice in any of this.
“The citizens of Gaza didn’t all “co-operate” with Hamas. The majority had no choice in any of this.”
EXACTLY. Thank you for saying this.
The royalists have gone utterly insane over this statement. That’s funny to me, since there’s so little passion or interest in his words that you can tell it was just a paint-by-numbers press release. William has no passion, William is awkward, William is deeply uncool, William is racist, William is self-centered. We say it everyday on this website, but he’s such a waste. I can’t imagine having that level of fame and those amazing resources and using it for….nothing. A shame. I used to think William was similar to Fred in Denmark, but you know what? At least Fred looks like he knows how to have fun.
I think what is rubbing a lot of people the wrong way here (including me) is that this statement just seems so breathtakingly arrogant.
Like, now that WILLIAM has said the fighting must stop, the fighting will stop! He’s made this statement and now all will be well and good in the Middle East. His life’s work complete, he can now retire to a life of a country aristocrat.
It’s not that anyone thinks the fighting is a good thing or that the fighting should continue. I certainly don’t. But there are so many nuances here and he does not seem to acknowledge those nuances.
this reminds me of when he made comments about how racism in sports must end. William has said it must end, so now its over.
Hey Peg. Forget about Gaza. Your wife is missing. Seriously, have you ever seen a statesman with a missing spouse? It’s creepy.
Excellent point. Make peace with your brother. Go find your wife.
First make peace with your brother 😂😂😂😂😂 because everyone knows Willy is the problem. I am so loving this for him.
hahahaa William reminds me of that whole Ivanka Trump scene where she stands outside the world leaders’ circle “active listening” and “participating”. He’s so embarrassing!
People globally telling William to sit tf down and eat his food, and focus on the school run is giving me life this week.
Remember the last time Workshy pulled an Ivanka? It was after Hazza was invited to speak at the UN on Mandela Day.
Cue Prince of Wannabes malingering around the UN Climate Conference, gatecrashing for photo ops. No one wanted him, no one invited him, he just rolled up and expected to outshine his brother’s endeavours.
Everything W touches turns to 💩 but no one in the palaces has the stones to tell him to his face. That is the achilles heel of their monarchy.
William honestly believes that he is a magic special human chosen by God to lead all us lower humans. He believes he’s above everything and if he does it it’s okay because he is a magic DNA future king.
The monarchy’s downfall will be that they are not attuned to the fact the rest of the world doesn’t see William as magical and that we don’t see ourselves as less than.
I believe that he really looks at the situation with Israel and Palestine and thinks he can wave his magical future king fingers and all will bow to him.
The whole “global statesman” thing I believe was some pr person with one foot in the real world thought perhaps this is how the rest of the planet will still allow this family to exist in this way. They are throwing anything at the wall and hoping it sticks. But nobody will respect a “global statesman” who is living and breathing inequality.
The comment about making peace with his brother first is so poignant. It’s William’s beliefs that he is some magic DNA’d future king that causes him to deny his own humanity and it’s this denial of humanity that creates harm. Haven’t the BRF caused enough harm? Too many have died
I forgot that William assaulted his brother Harry. His only younger brother he roughed up. Can anyone blame Harry for taking his family far away from the UK? I don’t.
William it seems is the only UK royal in recent memory to alienate his only sibling. Charles is too wishy washy to do anything about Williams behavior.
William’s Tory handlers clearly are not very good at grooming future kings.
Lol, I was just scrolling down to post the same thing. They don’t seem very good at handling William, either.
Now Princess Anne is being brought in as clean up crew.
Fascinating to watch, wondering what they’ll do with this guy if he isn’t useful to the ongoing evils of imperialism… #AbolishTheMonarchy
Eowyn, I remain convinced that George will become king at a much younger age than anyone expects. Assuming his idiot father doesn’t bring the whole thing crashing down on everyone’s heads beforehand.
What is Princess Anne doing? I haven’t seen anything! Do tell.
I spent the bulk of my career in local government and frequently came into contact with unsackable managers who were dubbed “work arounds”. They were not going to deliver anything but stupidity and incomprehension. Usually they were “promoted” on or given “special projects” to oversee. Willy is work around and so a lot of delegating to other team members is essential. When he is the main event or King he will have to show up more but just as a suit, nothing more substantial.
He has managed to cause the ire from both sides and that is something…. lol
Now let’s watch William try to recapture the global headlines. He will cause his own downfall.
I bet he’s missing Mumbles right about now. Usually, after William puts his foot in his mouth he could count on her to show up somewhere within a few days with her wiglet ajar, a hyena laugh, the jazz hands and a McQueen something or other to distract the peasants. And if there is audio he could count on twice the number of articles, tweets, etc.
Yet despite all she has to offer, she’s been stricken from the public record. Nothing to see here folks. Who? Don’t know her. Her? Nah, don’t bother yourself. Shades of Mr. Rochester’s first wife, hidden away hoping everyone will just get with the program and forget about her.
In a way, it looks like all those fawning articles about Kate were right. She was a steadying influence on William, if only as a lightning rod.
It’s interesting that they won’t (or can’t) release something Kate-related to take the heat off William. a “paparazzi” picture of her walking through Windsor Great Park or doing the school run (even with William driving or whatever) would get front page coverage this week. And instead…..William is running around insulting BAFTA nominees and solving the Middle East crisis by way of a single statement.
Or not even Kate. But a picture of him doing the all hallowed school runs. The back seats could be tinted enough that you don’t even see the kids. But at least the illusion of him doing what he says he’s been doing so much of. Not saying it’s good to use their kids but they have before. So why not now?
By way of a single statement that uses his cypher and his alone.
Where’s Kate?
“with her wiglet ajar”…..LOL. I think I’m starting to miss her.
Hey Willy, first make peace with your brother 🤣🤣🤣
In a few short days William has proven to the world he has never prepared and is not prepare to take the throne when the time comes. It proves Charles should not appoint him regent. No 10 and Parliament have to be terrified that one day William will have access to the red boxes. The weekly audiences with the prime minister would be a nightmare. QE2 and KC3 have done the UK a disservice be not pushing the future W5 to prepare for wearing the crown; and by doing so make the argument that a hereditary monarchy has to go.
I wonder if this new private secretary was assigned to William against his will and took a dive to get himself removed from this most odious job.
You want to be a global statesman Willy? Call up Hamas, and offer yourself as collateral for all the remaining hostages. Switch places with them. Do it. Today.
Sorry, Peggy! You’re not getting the Nobel Peace Prize just to upstage your brother. You need to do more than spout glittering words. And the Israeli spokesperson gets a slight pass from me for that put down. #WhereIsKate?
He could have just visited the Red Cross. Focused on the people he was meeting that day. But he made not one but two grandiose statements that were the equivalent of flashing a peace sign and then diving back into his hole.
“First, make peace with your brother.” is about as good a summation as could be.
His intervention didn’t see the way he wanted it go and people see that this was done in reaction to Harry being in Vancouver. Embarrassing.
I’d like to add a couple of things to “first make peace with your brother, and find your wife:”
support your father the king, and ask your sister-in-law’s forgiveness.