There's No Definitive Profile on Prince William
Why the profiles for Prince William's 43rd Birthday were boring AF
I remember the collective shudder when Beto O’Rourke told Vanity Fair after his inspiring run and eventual defeat by incumbent Senator Ted Cruz in the 2018 Texas midterms that he felt born to be in the 2020 Presidential mix.
Don’t get me wrong, I worked on a House race right under his on the ticket, I had the shirt, I reposted Beto skateboarding in the Whataburger parking lot, but maybeeee you put that energy into maintaining Democratic infrastructure for future races in the Lone Star State?
I was reminded of Vanity Fair and Beto on Prince William’s birthday this past week. Why, you ask? Because Prince William? He was BORN to be King.
Which made the recent rounds of birthday profiles on the Prince of Wales boring AF. The British Monarchy may serve as a ceremonial head of state, but you wouldn’t know that from some of the coverage of the future King. It can read more like reporters who fear their time in the Tower is imminent, with one misinterpreted turn of phrase, than a free and fair press.
Profiles in Courage?
How do you write about whether a man is right for the job in a system that isn’t based on meritocracy?
How do you frame his vision for the future of the monarchy as harmonious for traditionalists and modernists alike?
A royal expert never hurts.
Who better to tell us how William will balance tradition with the demands for a modern monarchy than a 75-year-old white man? The royal expert, Richard Fitzwilliams, tells us that events like Trooping the Colour will stick around, but not much more is shared. While the article’s headline promises plans, the body is bereft of any supporting text.
The article goes on to write:
For many years, William has been one of the most relatable members of the monarchy, spreading his time between his royal responsibilities, family duties, and his own projects that he is passionate about.
That is an, erm, interesting version of history that the British media wouldn’t even recognize (we’ll get into that further down).
A few weeks ago, British tabloids were filled with scathing missives about The NYT’s “swipe” against the Royal Family and accusations of “work-shy William”.
Here’s what Mark Landler wrote: