King Charles and Prince William Are "Rivals" After Shift in Royal Family Dynamics

"Charles has wanted to be the monarch for decades."

While everything seems to be copasetic between Prince William and King Charles—the monarch's drama is primarily with his younger brother, Prince Andrew, and his other son, Prince Harry—the king and future king have a little healthy competition going.

According to Us Weekly, Charles feels a bit threatened by the idea that William will eventually take over as king, resulting in a shift in "dynamics" between the two. A source revealed that Charles isn't giving up his status as king just yet. "Charles has wanted to be the monarch for decades," the insider told the outlet. "Even though he’s battling cancer, he's not letting that get in the way of his desire to be successful on the throne or a dynamic leader."

The source continued, though, that William is currently "preparing behind the scenes for when his ascension happens." "Like his father, he takes being a success in the royal role very seriously," they added.

The insider explained that "there's occasional tension" between the father and son duo because Charles knows that William will eventually take the throne. "It's a sensitive topic," the source said, adding that the subject of William's future is broached with "discretion and purpose."

Despite any jealousy there may be, both royals are able to be professional and put their feelings aside for the good of the monarchy. "The royal household is refining protocols and communications strategies for a smooth transition," the source said.

While it is expected that the Firm would discuss plans for the death of a monarch, Charles reportedly "does not feel comfortable speaking [about it] at length, so nothing more than is needed is brought up to him." The king was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year but felt it was important to share his diagnosis. "He didn't want to hide something so impactful," the source added.

Instead, "William and his team have agreed on what they will focus on at the start of his reign and funeral plans for his father."

A separate source explained that William and Charles "are close" but just "rivals when it comes to work," which the insider infers is probably "similar to how he felt about Diana."

"For the most part, Charles is doing well," another insider said. "But there are still some concerns, and he knows his reign will be up soon."

It seems a similar dynamic is also happening between the royals' wives. An Us Weekly source said there is tension between Kate Middleton and Queen Camilla because the queen isn't ready to pass on her duties to Middleton. Not to mention, the two have reportedly "always had a tense relationship."

"She loves her responsibilities," the insider said of Camilla's status as queen. "Her whole life, she has always wanted to be queen, so she doesn't want to let it go so fast."