Prince William has spoken candidly about the ongoing grief of losing his grandparents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. In a new episode of Apple TV’s The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy, airing October 3, the Prince of Wales shares how their absence continues to shape his life.
When Levy asked whether he missed the late Queen, William, 44, replied honestly: “I do actually, yeah, I do miss my grandmother, and my grandfather.” He went on to describe how being in Windsor brings back strong memories. “It’s been quite a bit of change, so you do think about them not being here anymore. Particularly being in Windsor— for me, Windsor is her. She loved it here, she spent most of her time here.”
As he guided Levy through Windsor Castle, William explained that the tour was his way of keeping his grandmother’s spirit alive. “Showing you around today is very much a case of trying to make sure I’m doing it in the way she’d want you to see it,” he said.
Reflecting more broadly on the challenges of the past year, the royal described 2024 as “the hardest year I’ve ever had,” referring to the cancer diagnoses of both King Charles and Catherine, the Princess of Wales.
The passing of Prince Philip in April 2021 and Queen Elizabeth in September 2022 marked a profound period of loss for the royal family. The Queen’s death also brought a rare moment of unity, with William and his brother Harry appearing together in Windsor alongside Catherine and Meghan Markle to view tributes from the public.
