The bombshell document about the late Queen that ‘worried’ Prince William – and how it fuelled speculation over the future of the Royal Family

Eye-opening stories about the inner-workings of the royals being leaked to the press is nothing new.

Indeed, just last week the surprising images of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s press secretary meeting with King Charles’ communications secretary appeared on the front pages of newspapers, sparking rumours of a ‘peace summit’ between the Palace and the Sussexes.

However, back in 2009 shocking documents uncovered by the Mail On Sunday ruffled feathers across the country when they appeared to suggest Charles – who was the then heir apparent – might never become King.

Instead William – at just 27-years-old – was allegedly being prepared to become a ‘shadow king’.

The papers showed that Prince William and Prince Harry would be taking on more engagements on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II. 

Writing in her bombshell royal biography – The Making of a Royal Romance – Katie Nicholl suggested that the Mail had found proof that a ‘handover of power was beginning’. 

‘The revelation suggested that William was being lined up as a “shadow king”, and fuelled speculation that the crown could skip a generation when the Queen dies,’ Nicholl wrote.

Unsurprisingly the Palace were reportedly ‘horrified’ by the claims and they issued a swift rebuke of any suggestion that William would become King before Charles.

Prince William with his father the then Prince Charles in 2009. Shocking documents uncovered by the Mail On Sunday in 2009 suggested that Charles might never become King and instead William - at just 27-years-old - was allegedly being prepared to become a 'shadow king'

Prince William with his father the then Prince Charles in 2009. Shocking documents uncovered by the Mail On Sunday in 2009 suggested that Charles might never become King and instead William – at just 27-years-old – was allegedly being prepared to become a ‘shadow king’

William behind Queen Elizabeth II during the Annual Remembrance Sunday Service, at the Cenotaph. The document fuelled speculation that upon the death of the Queen the crown could skip a generation

William behind Queen Elizabeth II during the Annual Remembrance Sunday Service, at the Cenotaph. The document fuelled speculation that upon the death of the Queen the crown could skip a generation 

William’s press officer also waded into the debate declaring that William ‘will not be “shadow king”‘. 

Nicholl notes that there was ‘no smoke without fire’ and for all the denials from the royals the fact William  and Harry would be taking on a higher work load was there in ‘black and white’.

The one person most against William becoming the heir apparent was actually the young prince himself.

According to Nicholl, William was ‘worried’ and had in the past made it clear he did not want to be ‘hurried into a life of royal duty’ and ‘could not think of anything worse’. 

The prince had also been left upset by the claim that he might be trying to ‘leapfrog’ his father and become King.

William was more interested in pursuing his career as a search and rescue pilot which was a dream he was not prepared to give up just yet.

‘He was happy to represent his grandmother and in no position to question her requests, but he was still not ready to become a fully fledged ribbon-cutting royal,’ Nicholl wrote. 

Indeed it would not be until July 2017 that William would become a full-time working royal, this followed a two year stint as a pilot with the East Anglican Air Ambulance services.

The one person most against William becoming the heir apparent was actually the young prince himself

The one person most against William becoming the heir apparent was actually the young prince himself

The Queen with William stood behind her. Unsurprisingly the Palace were reportedly 'horrified' by the claims and they issued a swift rebuke of any suggestion that William would become King before Charles

The Queen with William stood behind her. Unsurprisingly the Palace were reportedly ‘horrified’ by the claims and they issued a swift rebuke of any suggestion that William would become King before Charles

Royal insider Katie Nicholl (pictured) said William was 'worried' about the plan and had in the past made it clear he did not want to be 'hurried into a life of royal duty' and 'could not think of anything worse'

Royal insider Katie Nicholl (pictured) said William was ‘worried’ about the plan and had in the past made it clear he did not want to be ‘hurried into a life of royal duty’ and ‘could not think of anything worse’

Writing in her bombshell royal biography - The Making of a Royal Romance - Katie Nicholl suggested that the Mail had found proof that a 'handover of power was beginning'

Writing in her bombshell royal biography – The Making of a Royal Romance – Katie Nicholl suggested that the Mail had found proof that a ‘handover of power was beginning’

Before then, William also had a successful career in the army starting in 2006, when he joined Sandhurst as an Officer Cadet. 

He was briefly considered for frontline duty, with the then Queen Elizabeth II reportedly supportive of his deployment. 

However, William’s status at the time as second in line to the throne meant the Government decided it was too risky for him to see active duty due to concerns about the safety of him and those around him. 

William was instead sent to the RAF and the Royal Navy. 

The Prince of Wales was one of six Navy personnel who intercepted a vessel attempting to smuggle 900kg of cocaine in the Atlantic, north-east of Barbados. 

In total, the haul, which was seized in July 2008, was worth a staggering £40million at the time. Adjusted for inflation, it would now be worth over £60million. 

William was on board a Lynx helicopter which was tasked with monitoring speedboats off the coast of Barbados attempting to move drugs to west Africa or Europe. 

On this particular occasion, an ocean-going speedboat suspecting of smuggling drugs was spotted by the crew – which included William, a pilot and a sniper – and was ordered  to stop. It was then boarded by US coastguard officers on board the British frigate HMS Iron Duke and the smugglers detained.

William in the cockpit of a helicopter. It would not be until July 2017 that William would become a full-time working royal, this followed a two year stint as a pilot with the East Anglican Air Ambulance services

William in the cockpit of a helicopter. It would not be until July 2017 that William would become a full-time working royal, this followed a two year stint as a pilot with the East Anglican Air Ambulance services

Prince William in June 2008 just before his deployment to the Caribbean. The royal was one of six navy personnel who intercepted a vessel attempting to smuggle 900kg of cocaine

Prince William in June 2008 just before his deployment to the Caribbean. The royal was one of six navy personnel who intercepted a vessel attempting to smuggle 900kg of cocaine

The Prince of Wales enjoyed his time with the Navy so much that he extended his Royal Naval short service commission for as long as possible before he returned to the Royal Air Force

The Prince of Wales enjoyed his time with the Navy so much that he extended his Royal Naval short service commission for as long as possible before he returned to the Royal Air Force

William had only been deployed with the Royal Navy for less than a week when the operation took place – having arrived on June 24 as part of a secondment from the Royal Air Force.

Speaking to The Guardian at the time, the ship’s commander, Mark Newland, said: ‘This is a fantastic start to HMS Iron Duke’s North Atlantic deployment. 

‘To have had a direct impact on the flow of cocaine into Europe just four days after we arrived in theatre shows the benefit the Royal Navy can have in the area of maritime security and counter-drug operations.’ 

According to royal author Penny Junor, deployment with HMS Iron Duke saw William experience ‘a lot of excitement and a lot of danger’. 

The Prince of Wales enjoyed his time with the Navy so much that he extended his Royal Naval short service commission for as long as possible before he returned to the Royal Air Force.

William’s stint in the Royal Navy still affects him many years later.  In 2020, it came up in conversation when the Prince was on a Remembrance Day video chat with LPT (leading physical trainer) Damon Bell, who was at the time serving on the British frigate HMS Montrose in the Gulf.

During the call, LPT Bell referred to Montrose’s recent £20million drugs seizure in the Middle East, and he joked that it was only half the amount of the bust made by HMS Iron Duke.

William responded in jest: ‘I wasn’t going to bring that up, Damon, but I am glad it’s still being talked about.’

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