Prince unwise to wade into divisive debates
THE Prince of Wales is a thoughtful and sympathetic family man whose heart is undoubtedly in the right place.
A product of the modern age, his style is more personal and informal than most of his royal forebears and he is clearly keen to engage with the world around him.
Like so many of us, he will be upset by the terrible images emerging from Gaza since Israel began military action to eradicate Hamas after the October 7 terror attacks.
so on one level, William’s impassioned intervention in the crisis is understandable. ‘Too many have been killed,’ he lamented, adding that he wanted to ‘see an end to the fighting as soon as possible’.
Few would disagree with his plea for more humanitarian aid for Gaza, nor his urging Hamas to release the remaining Israeli hostages. But he does need to recognise that this is potentially hazardous territory for him to step into. As future king, His royal Highness must be scrupulously impartial.
He must avoid giving the appearance that he is taking sides on sensitive subjects, which could lay him open to accusations of abusing his constitutional position.
William is not an elected politician nor is he an activist. He is heir to the throne and, as such, must remain above the fray of day-to-day politics – as his grandmother, the late Queen, did with supreme skill for over 70 years.
When his father Charles was prince of Wales, he was criticised for meddling in national affairs. But his interjections, on pet preoccupations such as homeopathy and the environment, were relatively harmless.
William’s intervention in arguably the most divisive issue of the day has the potential to be far more dangerous. In particular, the timing of his words – on the eve of what turned out to be a highly toxic Commons debate on Gaza – will seem ill-judged to some.
Another concern is that he has set a troubling precedent. If the prince can issue a sympathetic royal statement on Gaza, what about for Ukraine, or the murder of Alexei Navalny, or the Uighur repression in China?
some suspect Foreign secretary Lord Cameron has persuaded William to speak out, in order to put pressure on Tel Aviv. If so, that would be reprehensible.
The prince should realise that compromising the political neutrality of the monarchy will only give ammunition to those who believe the institution is past its sell-by date.