FATHER VS. SON

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE BEHIND-THE-SCENES POWER STRUGGLE BETWEEN KING CHARLES AND PRINCE WILLIAM

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COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP "Like most fathers and sons, they have had their ups and downs," royal expert Jennie Bond tells In Touch, noting that Charles and William's bond was especially tested after Princess Diana's death and Charles' marriage to Camilla.

They've both been going about their business as usual. In the past few months, King Charles and Prince William carried out packed schedules — making official visits to Italy and Estonia, respectively, with William also filling in for his father at the pope's funeral in Rome in April — while occasionally crossing paths for events like Commonwealth Day in March. But William and Princess Kate's decision to skip a private Easter celebration with the rest of the royals raised eyebrows, with many reports suggesting that the king defied his son's wishes by inviting Charles' scandal-plagued brother Prince Andrew. A week later, Meghan Markle's continued usage of the HRH title caused a fuss, with the Daily Beast reporting that an “enraged” William would put a stop to such insolence when he’s king — and that a too-complacent Charles has “lost control.”

There’s no doubt William has been flexing his muscles, especially in the wake of Charles' cancer diagnosis. “William’s voice and influence have become louder and more pronounced in recent years,” former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond tells