Prince William & King Charles Are More Alike Than We Realized

Considering the royal rumors that William, Prince of Wales, and King Charles III are feuding over the throne, the public is metaphorically waiting for the announcement of "The Real Palace Husbands of Buckingham" to come to reality TV. It's no secret that William will soon take over the throne — perhaps sooner than imagined following the king's cancer diagnosis. As the palace makes preparations for when William becomes king, the power shift from Charles to William is reportedly causing tensions. One could imagine that working with family presents its struggles, too. The father and son duo are reportedly butting heads for reasons more than just power dynamics; the royals' likeness has a lot to do with the strain on their relationship — and the two are more alike than we ever realized.

You know how they say opposites attract? Well, in this case, William and Charles' similarities oppose. Royal commentator Amanda Matta previously told The List that while their views on the monarchy's future differ, "Charles and William actually do share quite a bit of common ground, I think, especially when it comes to wanting to modernize the monarchy while still retaining a sense of continuity and tradition." They also share similar charitable passions, according to Matta.

Not only do the king and prince share common ground on policy, but the pair mirror each other's mannerisms in public. According to so-called "human lie detector" Darren Stanton, both Charles and William constantly break protocol and step away from security to greet royal fans at the barriers. "They are both very giving to the public," he told PureWow.

While his grasp on the crown grows closer every day, one has to wonder how Prince William will rule as sovereign. The difference between him and his father is that William is ready to get his hands dirty. "He's asking: 'How can I use my platform for good, to create positive change,'" a royal source told BBC. "He has big ambitions for what he can deliver," which include environmental issues — being tackled by his Earthshot Prize, a project which fills Charles with great pride — mental health issues, and aiding the UK's homeless population, per the outlet.

William is already being touted as the monarchy's most cut-throat ruler. A palace insider told In Touch Weekly: "He's not willing to take any nonsense, and the word is he's already on his way to being the toughest ruler the family has ever seen," including his own estranged brother. As the Prince of Wales helms the proverbial royal ship, Prince Harry is reportedly on guard for what William has in store for him. Harry is already the subject of a years-long feud with his father, King Charles, and William and Harry's brotherly quarrel has been unsparing ever since Megxit. The family dispute illustrates yet another similarity between William and his father, as neither is showing signs of backing down.