A prince under pressure: Why there's so much at stake for William as the monarchy faces scandal

He went barefoot for a game of volleyball, taking a few tumbles onto the sand of Rio de Janeiro’s famed Copacabana beach.

A few days later, Prince William he was standing before world leaders in the heart of the Amazon. He talked of how they were coming together at a “moment that demands courage, co-operation and unwavering commitment to our planet’s future.”

William’s speech on behalf of the U.K. government to leaders gathered for the COP30 summit also acknowledged a family legacy and personal commitment to tackling the climate crisis.

“I have long believed in the power of urgent optimism: the conviction that, even in the face of daunting challenges, we have the ingenuity and determination to make a difference and to do so now,” William told the gathering in Belém.

“I grew up with my father, the King, talking about the power of nature and the importance of harmony in the natural world — a subject he has championed for over five decades. It is a privilege to also represent him here today, as well as everyone else who has championed this cause, for so many years.”

That speech in Belém — and William’s time earlier in Rio, for this year’s awarding of his Earthshot climate prizes — reflected both the personal and public sides of an heir to the throne coming under increasing focus as the monarchy faces its own pressures and recent scandal.

William is, says Toronto-based royal author and historian Carolyn Harris, putting himself in a position to carry on his father’s environmental work. 

“He doesn't yet have those responsibilities and expectations as a constitutional monarch,” she said.

The emphasis on continuity, however, comes at a time of great scrutiny of William, particularly given the scandals surrounding his uncle Andrew, and the health of King Charles, Harris said. He noted, for example, a recent BBC podcast with the title: “Can William save the planet and the monarchy after the ‘Andrew problem?’”

“That's a tremendous amount of pressure, even if that [podcast] headline is to bring in listeners,” said Harris.

It’s a bit like how Queen Victoria, who came to the throne in 1837, “was seen as a breath of fresh air when she had some scandalous uncles,” Harris said. 

“Prince William is not only taking on causes that are very relevant to 21st-century audiences around the world, but in many ways he's tasked with making the monarchy respectable again after some of these recent scandals.”

That’s in addition to personal challenges William faces, including his estrangement from his younger brother, Prince Harry, and the cancer diagnoses last year for both his father and his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales. 

While he was in Rio, William was also presented with a key to the city and visited the Maracanã soccer stadium, where he helped lead training drills with local children.