Prince William defended by Arbiter over 'work-shy' claim

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Former royal press secretary to the Queen, Dickie Arbiter, ridiculed claims that the younger Prince William was “work-shy,” reminding viewers that he spent more than seven years in full-time military service. Mr Arbiter’s comments were made in retaliation to the BBC documentary The Princes and the Press. The programme claimed the Duke of Cambridge was a victim of the press in his younger years because of his lack of involvement in public life. 

Mr Arbiter has hit back and said that the documentary failed to say why William was in the public eye more, reminding viewers that it was during his full-time military career.

He spoke to hosts about The Princes and the Press on the Today Show.

He said: “So far, it’s pretty fair. I do take issue early on in the documentary – and I’ve only watched 45 minutes of it, and it’s still running – that they called William work-shy and didn’t sort of following it up by why was he work-shy.

“He was work-shy because when he finished university went into the Army, then a stint in the Navy then in the Air Force, then he spent three years as a search and rescue helicopter pilot and then two years as an air ambulance pilot.

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“So yes, he was work-shy in terms of jobs for the royals, although while he was an air ambulance helicopter pilot he did do some royal work.”

Mr Arbiter also discussed Prince Harry’s role in the Royal Family, suggesting the Duke of Sussex at times felt some “frustration” at the lack of clarity about his role.

He added: “As far as the pecking order, there was probably an element of frustration there because there really is no defined job for the sixth in light of the throne [Prince Harry].

“The spare as he was always called. You’ve got to develop something on your own, there is no defined role for the Prince of Wales. Charles developed a role for himself and Andrew, there was no defined role for him.

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“He went into the Navy for 20 years, and then sort of wasted his time afterwards.”

The Princes and the Press detailed the fractured relationship between Princes William and Harry and the British newspapers. 

It went into detail about the events in the past that led to the tension between the two institutions, including the phone-hacking scandal which saw Prince William, Catherine, Harry, and Harry’s ex, Chelsy Davy, having their phones hacked. 

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However, the Royal Family has hit back at the documentary in a rare, strongly worded joint statement given to the BBC ahead of last night’s broadcast.

Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Kensington Palace stated: “A free, responsible and open Press is of vital importance to a healthy democracy.

“However, too often overblown and unfounded claims from unnamed sources are presented as facts and it is disappointing when anyone, including the BBC, gives them credibility.”

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