In the cozy warmth of a Windsor pub on a drizzly February day, over the clink of glasses and the low hum of conversation, Prince William leans back and confides, “I think it’s safe to say that change is on my agenda. Change for good.” It’s an unprecedented glimpse into the mind of the future King — a man shaped by loss, duty and a fierce desire to protect his family from the pressures of royal life.
Across from him sits actor Eugene Levy, host of Apple TV+’s The Reluctant Traveler, listening intently as the heir to the throne opens up like never before. “It was a savvy move by William,” royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story. “By choosing a Canadian comedian as his interlocutor, William seems to be signaling that he wants to break out of the conventional mold.”
That willingness to speak personally — and publicly — marks a turning point for the monarchy. After years of headlines dominated by family rifts and royal fallout, William is quietly reframing his image: one rooted in accessibility and evolution.
As talk turns to his eventual role as King of England, he shares his desire for progress. “I enjoy change; I don’t fear it,” he says. “That’s the bit that excites me — the idea of being able to bring some change….I want to question things more. Are we still doing and having the most impact we could be having? If you’re not careful, history can be a real weight and an anchor around you, and you can feel suffocated by it. I think it’s important to live for the here and now.”
Still, his vision is not a rebuke of his father. “This shouldn’t be seen as criticism of King Charles,” historian Robert Lacey tells PEOPLE. “He is very close to his father and has been his most important supporter.”
Instead, the Prince of Wales is defining his own path — one that honors tradition while embracing change.
In the October 3 episode of Levy’s travel series, William, 43, leads Levy, 78, on a rare tour of Windsor Castle. Amid the grandeur, he opens up about the challenges that have shadowed his life, including both his wife Kate Middleton’s and father’s cancer diagnoses.
“Worry or stress around the family side of things does overwhelm me quite a bit,” he admits. “Because it’s more personal — it’s more about feeling, it’s more about upsetting the rhythm.”King Charles, Prince William and Kate Middleton on Sept. 16, 2025.
Samir Hussein/WireImage
As he walks the castle grounds where he and Kate are raising Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, William reflects on the past year. “2024 was the hardest year that I’ve ever had,” he says. “Life is sent to test us…and it definitely can be challenging at times. I’m so proud of my wife and my father for how they’ve handled all of last year.”
He also offers a rare glimpse into their home life: family dinners around the table most evenings, strict no-phone rules and an emphasis on open conversations. “If you don’t start the children off now with a happy, healthy, stable home, I feel you’re setting them up for a bit of a hard time,” he says.Prince William and Eugene Levy in ‘The Reluctant Traveler’.
That openness marks a distinct break from the royal family’s old way of operating — by “ostriching,” as Bedell Smith puts it, “avoiding discussions of emotional problems in hopes that they would go away.”
Instead, William’s version of the Crown feels rooted in connection. “I want to question things more,” he says. “Are we still doing and having the most impact we could be having? If you’re not careful, history can be a real weight and an anchor around you. I think it’s important to live for the here and now.”Queen Camilla, King Charles, Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Louis, Prince George and Princess Charlotte in June 2025.
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty
For royal watchers the striking admission is “fascinating,” says royal biographer Andrew Morton, author of Winston and the Windsors: “The two words ‘change’ and ‘monarchy’ don’t naturally go together. Monarchy is about continuity. To predicate your future life on the change you’re going to make to it…well, that’s a delicate mechanism.”
For William, though, change doesn’t mean upheaval but rather modernization — a monarchy more emotionally attuned and grounded in everyday life. “Prince William’s been quite vocal about what he wants to do when the time comes,” says a source with ties to the palace. “[To be] more accessible, more approachable.”
Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!Eugene Levy and Prince William in ‘The Reluctant Traveler’.
And he’s not thinking only of his own reign. “I want to create a world in which my son is proud of what we do,” he says of young George. “A world and a job that actually does impact people’s lives for the better.”
As the tour draws to a close, William emerges not just as heir to the throne, but as a father and husband trying to redefine it. “He struck me as one of the lads,” says Morton. “That’s different from previous generations. He seems very much one of us, even though he is the future King.”
And that may be the point. Between pints of cider and the echo of centuries-old walls, William shows a monarchy that feels more human — and a monarch-in-waiting intent on keeping it that way.
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