Prince William's Comments About Queen Elizabeth In Rare Moment Are So Sad

Stoicism and sophistication shape the strict rules of the royal family, leaving little room for lax conversations. As a result, the British royals tend to flounder in the face of relatability. This deeply traditional approach to their roles has created an atmosphere of stiffness surrounding the family, especially in moments of great sadness, such as the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. In 2025, Prince William finally shared a rare peek behind his rigid public persona while talking with Eugene Levy on the Apple TV+ series "The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy."

Going on a tour of Windsor with the prince, Levy asked a heavy question to the future king (via The Daily Mail): "Do you miss your grandmother?" William answered honestly in a beat of vulnerability that left viewers teary-eyed. "I do, actually, yeah. I do miss my grandmother, and my grandfather. It's been quite a bit of change, so you do, sort of, you think about them not being here anymore," admitted William, adding, "and particularly being in Windsor, for me, Windsor is her. She loved it here; she spent most of her time here."

The royal added that his tour for Levy was something of a tribute to his late grandmother. "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," said William. "She had her horses here as well, as you can imagine, that was a big deal for her, so that's why she loved it here."

Prince William's relationship with Queen Elizabeth II wasn't originally tight-knit compared to what it would later become. In conversations with Eugene Levy on the Apple TV+ show, the prince revealed (via Marie Claire), "I think when we were younger, it was harder to have that very close relationship, because it was quite formal. But as they got older and I got older, it got warmer and warmer." William credits a totally British pastime as a key to strengthening the relationship with his grandmother: teatime! The prince recalled that, while attending college at University of St. Andrew, he would stop by his grandmother's palace for tea to catch up and connect. The family relationship they established became a foundation for William.

However, this does not mean that — like most families — they didn't have their bad days. Queen Elizabeth II allegedly denied William's request to name his wife a princess upon their marriage. The request would in fact never be granted by Elizabeth herself, with Kate Middleton receiving the Princess of Wales title on September 9, 2022, the day after the queen's passing. 

Despite their occasional disagreements, William has shared that he's never been the same since Elizabeth's death, and recalled his time with her fondly. Sharing a statement to Instagram following her death, the Prince of Wales wrote, "She was by my side at my happiest moments. And she was by my side during the saddest days of my life."