Royal family
People who have worked for the Prince of Wales share what’s he like as a boss.
Upon Queen Elizabeth II’s death, her oldest son became the monarch. King Charles promised that he was going to do things differently than they had been done in the past and that was evident almost immediately when he instituted a slim-down monarchy comprised of only working royals.
When the time comes for Prince William to take the throne, he too will put his own stamp on things. According to some of his staffers, the Prince of Wales wants to run a more “modern” monarchy when he’s the top boss.
So what type of boss is Prince William anyway? Well, it depends on who you ask.
What kind of boss is Prince William?
According to The Times, the heir to the throne wants to focus on “impact” and “scale” when it comes to his royal work. Sources shared that William plans to move away from “ribbon-cutting” events in favor of a role that can “deliver practical benefits” instead. The publication added that despite claims about his “temper,” those who have worked for him say that’s not the case.
William had been described in the past as “a stringent boss” who will send “dozens of weekend WhatsApps to staff” and is “laser-focused about what he wants to achieve.” But several people who have worked with and for the future king say that’s just not the case.
Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s former prime minister, told the outlet, “A question that gets asked when you’re in the public eye is: what are they like behind the scenes? What are they like in real life? And to the extent that I’m able to see Prince William in ‘real life,’ I would say he’s exactly the same person.
“The areas that he’s interested in and that he works in, he’s very genuinely motivated by. [It’s] a very collaborative way of working. There is a humility there, which is an extraordinary thing when you’re born into a role of this nature.”
Former cabinet minister William Hague, who worked with Prince William for more than a decade, added his thoughts, saying: “He’s not one for long meetings or going around the same thing again. I’ve often heard him say, ‘There’s been too much talk about that. We need to see some action.’
“He is friendly to deal with and personable. [But] you really wouldn’t want to go and tell him, ‘We’ve got absolutely nowhere in stopping elephant ivory being sold.’ He wants to know that you’re getting results.”
The other royal who’s been called out for what they’re like as a boss
But Prince William isn’t the only person in the Palace who has made headlines for their demands as a boss; Prince Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, has as well.
The complaints about the Duchess of Sussex go back to when she was a working royal and Palace aides dubbed her “Duchess Difficult.” The public then learned about a group of people who worked for her and Harry, and when they decided to leave they dubbed themselves the “Sussex Survivors Club.”
More revelations came in September 2024, when over a dozen ex and current Sussex employees spoke to The Hollywood Reporter and described Meghan as a “terrible boss” everyone is “terrified of” who “barks out orders” like a “dictator in high heels.” Some later labeled her a “demon boss.” Then in 2025, sources talked about how Meghan treated them in an explosive piece published in Vanity Fair’s February cover story. They described the duchess as a bully and said they needed “long-term therapy” after working for her.
