Prince William Keeps a Secret Calendar Hidden From King Charles

King Charles III might still be in charge as monarch, but it appears his son and heir, Prince William, is doing things his own way. A royal insider recently shared that the father and son have become "rivals" following a shift in royal family dynamics. Given their fundamental differences in values and visions for the future of the monarchy, William is reportedly adamant about working separately from his father, which includes keeping a secret calendar hidden from the patriarch.

A source told Us Weekly that Charles and William have separate courts running their affairs within the palace.

“William is very stubborn and private. He keeps his movements and calendar away from Charles’ team to such an extent that he won’t listen to anyone or take guidance from [his father] or his team,” the source explained. “He keeps things very locked down and separate.”

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams added that Charles was hoping his son would take on some of his patronages, however, "William is intent on being his own man.”

According to the publication, Charles feels threatened by the idea that William will eventually ascend the throne, which has given was to the shift in "dynamics" between them. A source revealed Charles isn't ready to give up his post just yet.

"Charles has wanted to be the monarch for decades," they said. "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 added that William is currently preparing for his ascension behind the scenes. "Like his father, he takes being a success in the royal role very seriously," they added.

The change of power is a "sensitive topic" for the duo and one that causes "occasional tension." As such, the source said the subject is approached with "discretion and purpose."

While talks of succession are kept to a minimum, at least in the royal household, it has illuminated key differences in William and Charles's visions of the monarchy. During his visit to Cape Town, South Africa, on November 7, William spoke about how he hopes to lead in his eventual role.

“I’m trying to do it differently, and I’m trying to do it for my generation,” he said. “To give you more [of] an understanding around it, I’m doing it with maybe a smaller ‘R’ in the royal.”

Another royal source added that William intends to bring a "new, younger energy." One way he intends to do this is by taking on fewer patronages but focusing more on issues close to his and Princess Kate's hearts. Conversely, Charles's approach has included accumulating more than 500 patronages.

Another stark difference between them is their boundaries. A source explained that Charles is a bit of a "workaholic" when it comes to his working style, whereas William has made it clear his family comes first.

“[William] puts up clear boundaries,” the source said. “He wants the upbringing of his children to be different from his own.”

Read the original article on InStyle