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Prince William, Kate Middleton pull back from public eye this month as ‘work-shy’ criticism lingers: experts
Prince William and Kate Middleton are taking a step back from the public eye this April to spend time with their children — a move that comes amid past criticism of the prince’s workload.
The Prince and Princess of Wales are expected to scale back their schedule of royal duties in the coming weeks as their three children are on a school break, People magazine reported. The royal children — Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7 — attend Lambrook School, which ended its term on March 27. Students won’t be back in the classroom until April 22.
Fox News Digital reached out to Kensington Palace for comment.
“William and Kate have traditionally taken time off during their children’s school holidays to try to normalize their upbringing as much as they can,” royal broadcaster Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital.
“There has obviously been a lot of strain on the children’s lives due to Kate’s past cancer diagnosis. And like everyday parents, they wish to create as many positive and happy memories for the family to cherish.”
In January 2025, Kate announced that her cancer was officially in remission.
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The family may travel abroad during the break, the outlet reported. The royals were spotted skiing in the French Alps last year. They typically retreat to Anmer Hall, their country home in Norfolk, where they spend time outdoors.
In 2020, Kate revealed on the “Happy Mum, Happy Baby” podcast that her favorite times with the family are “outside in the countryside, and we’re all filthy dirty.”
“I feel the British public accepts this situation,” said Turner. “The couple is known to go into the countryside, trekking through muddy forests and getting dirty. And skiing is a passion for William and Kate.”
“The timing isn’t random,” British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital. “The couple typically prioritizes family time during school holidays. Their decision may subtly challenge King Charles’ work-heavy model of monarchy. However, their decision is well thought through and approved of by the king. And it’s a practical decision to ensure their children have a balanced upbringing.”
“Focusing on quality engagements around their children’s school breaks and prioritizing their family’s needs is a balanced approach that will benefit the future of the monarchy,” Chard added.
The decision also comes as William has faced scrutiny over his workload, Turner noted.
“William has his own plans for the future regarding work,” he said. “Many royal watchers will look at it closely. He has been criticized in the past for being lazy and only performing duties he enjoys rather than the heavier workload of his father, King Charles, and his aunt Princess Anne.”
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Over the years, William has repeatedly drawn criticism for not taking on as many duties as other family members, earning him the label “work-shy.”
Royal experts previously told Fox News Digital that Anne, who has been crowned “the hardest-working royal” by the press, was hopeful that her nephew would pick up the slack as he prepares to be king one day. Those comments came after The Sunday Times reported that William “annoys” his aunt when it comes to their shared royal duties.
Several unnamed sources close to Anne claimed that she wanted to see the father of three do more “bread-and-butter” royal engagements. The outlet pointed out that only the king, as well as Anne and William, conduct investitures, many of which take place at Windsor Castle.
Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace at the time.
Investitures are ceremonies in which a senior royal presents medals to people recognized for their significant contributions. The ceremonies are traditionally held at either Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle. According to the royal family’s website, there are about 30 investitures each year.
But Fordwich said William and Kate take a different approach to royal duties.
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“They are approaching their royal roles in a more mission-driven manner to make a tangible difference,” she said. “Prince William has spoken directly about this, as well as his determination to avoid repeating the emotionally distant upbringing usually associated with royal tradition.”
“He has always relished the regular middle-class activities of Princess Catherine’s family,” Fordwich said. “From the outset, he thoroughly enjoyed the normalcy of her family. He has stated on numerous occasions his desire to be family-oriented and more relatable at all the events they attend. This has been well received by the public, as reflected in their popularity in the polls.”
One palace insider told People magazine that William and Kate have been raising their children differently from other royals. The source said they’re leaning into Kate’s non-aristocratic upbringing.
British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that the couple’s decision to scale back from royal duties this month isn’t a “crisis” as some may think.
“It’s about doing the right thing,” she stressed. “Every year, they focus on family time during the Easter holiday season. Given all the issues surrounding [other family members], this is a wise move to ensure future stability. Such quality family time is extremely beneficial for the development of well-rounded, adjusted children.”
Fordwich previously told Fox News Digital that William and Kate are recognized as doting parents behind palace doors, and they have been determined to work together as a team.
“Prince William and Kate Middleton’s parenting style is extremely hands-on by royal standards,” she said at the time. “Those traveling with and receiving Prince William and his eldest son, Prince George, have commented on their close bond and even similar mannerisms.”
“Prince William craves normalcy after his tumultuous childhood,” Fordwich shared. “One of the great appeals Kate had for William was her stable family. Those closest to her have always shared that she and Prince William wanted the children to live in the real world, not a gilded bubble.”
“They want them to grow up having the same experiences as other kids.”
“William and Catherine have been determined that their children will have as normal an upbringing as possible and that their privacy and well-being will have a priority,” royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams also told Fox News Digital. “This was clear from the beginning.”
“The balance they have struck with releasing photographs and arranging appearances of their children in exchange for privacy seems an excellent one,” he added.
It’s a similar sentiment a palace insider shared with People magazine.
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“Those children look pretty happy with life,” the unnamed source told the outlet. “A lot of it is the stabilizing normality Kate brings — and that’s how she grew up. William absolutely loves it.”
“Coming from a different background, she appreciates the importance of having family time,” said a source close to the royal household. “She wasn’t brought up in that aristocratic setting where you see the children for a short time each day.”
Dave McGinnis, a former Arizona Cardinals head coach and Tennessee Titans assistant coach, died on Monday. He was 74.
The Titans announced the death of McGinnis, who died after being hospitalized for an illness in early March. The Titans’ news release said that he passed away at Ascension St. Thomas Midtown Hospital with his family by his side.
“My heart aches with the loss of Coach Mac, who was so much more than a coach and broadcaster – he was family,” Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement.
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Cardinals owner Michael Bidwell also released a statement on McGinnis.
“As Dave often said, he was a ‘ball coach’ through and through, and no one ever filled that role with more passion, enthusiasm and charisma,” Bidwell said. “Coach Mac truly loved the game and everything – and everyone – associated with it, especially his players. He was one of a kind and will be greatly missed.”
McGinnis found himself in an interim head coaching role during the 2000 season with the Cardinals, the team for which he served as defensive coordinator in 1996. He was retained in the head coaching post from 2001-03.
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In 57 career games, McGinnis went 17-40 with the Cardinals, ultimately being fired after a 4-12 season in 2003.
After he was fired, McGinnis landed with the Titans as a linebackers coach under head coach Jeff Fisher. He would become a mainstay in Nashville, holding that role and eventually being promoted to assistant head coach until 2011.
“Coach Mac gave so much of himself to this organization over the years, and his passion, loyalty and love for the Titans never wavered,” Strunk added. “He cared deeply about the people around him, and that kindness and authenticity left a lasting impact on everyone who knew him. He held a very special place in our family, and his presence in our lives and within this franchise will never be forgotten. We will miss him dearly, and we will always be grateful for the legacy he leaves behind.”
McGinnis’s coaching career began in 1973 when he was an assistant with TCU. He also held posts with Indiana State, Missouri and Kansas State until the 1986 season when he broke into the NFL with the Chicago Bears.
McGinnis served as linebackers coach for Chicago from 1986-95 before getting a promotion with the Cardinals. He also held roles with the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams before leaving coach after the 2016 campaign.
McGinnis returned to Nashville to join Titans Radio in 2017, where he served as a color announcer for games.
“I love Dave McGinnis, and I don’t know that I’ve met anybody who was created for football, and a football life, more than Coach Mac,” said Burke Nihill, president and CEO of the Titans. “He just loved the game. Obviously, he played it for a long time and coached it for longer, and with everything he has done for us over the years as color commentator and a Titans personality. He lived such a special football life. He was such a special guy.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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US military kills 2 suspected cartel operatives in latest Eastern Pacific lethal strike, SOUTHCOM says
The U.S. military carried out another lethal strike targeting suspected cartel operatives in the Eastern Pacific on Monday, killing two individuals believed to be involved in narcotics trafficking, according to U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).
“Applying total systemic friction on the cartels,” SOUTHCOM said in a post on X. “On April 13, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations.
“Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” the post continued. “Two male narco-terrorists were killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed.”
The strike comes two days after SOUTHCOM conducted similar operations against two other suspected vessels operated by designated groups.
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Officials said intelligence confirmed those vessels were traveling along known drug trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were actively engaged in narcotics operations.
Two men were killed in the first strike and three in the second, while one individual survived the initial attack.
SOUTHCOM said it immediately called on the U.S. Coast Guard to conduct search and rescue operations for the lone survivor. No U.S. forces were injured in either operation.
The operations are part of a broader U.S. military effort to disrupt cartel-linked trafficking networks at sea, with officials increasingly describing such groups using terrorism-related designations.
The strikes were carried out under Joint Task Force Southern Spear, an ongoing mission focused on targeting transnational criminal organizations operating along key maritime drug routes in the region.
The Eastern Pacific remains a major corridor for narcotics trafficking, where cartels frequently rely on small, fast-moving vessels to transport drugs north toward the U.S. and Central America.
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The use of the term “Designated Terrorist Organizations” reflects a more aggressive posture by the Trump administration, which has expanded the use of military force against suspected narcotics traffickers beyond traditional law enforcement approaches.
SOUTHCOM has not released additional details about the identities of those killed or the specific groups involved.
The command is responsible for military operations in Central and South America and the Caribbean, including counter-narcotics missions aimed at disrupting drug trafficking networks that threaten U.S. interests.
The U.S. has carried out dozens of strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels in recent months as part of a broader campaign to dismantle cartel-linked trafficking operations and increase pressure on transnational criminal organizations.
Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.
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Los Angeles hotel industry ‘struggling’ under wage mandate signed by Mayor Karen Bass, new survey finds
Hotels in Los Angeles, California are struggling, a new report from industry researchers claimed in a new report.
“Hotels are struggling to keep up with rising operating costs coupled with falling demand,” the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) researchers said last week.
According to AHLA, the city’s minimum wage mandate and other policies led to increased “costs without flexibility to reflect market conditions and demand levels.”
A phased-in minimum wage hike in Los Angeles mandated up to $30 per hour for airport and hotel workers. The law was signed into law last year by Mayor Karen Bass, mandating that their hourly wage must be raised by $2.50 each year until they reach $30 in 2028.
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The AHLA is the largest hotel association in America, representing more than 30,000 members from all segments of the industry nationwide. Its methodology stated it was a “member survey of Los Angeles hotel operators and owners” that featured “16 questions in multiple-choice, select-all-that-apply, and ranking formats.”
The report claimed that the policies led to reduced hiring and cuts in labor hours. Other issues that arose included delayed or canceled hotel investment and development, reduced airline operations and restaurant closures.
“The report finds that hotels across Los Angeles are facing increasing financial and operational pressure as rising labor and operating costs outpace revenue growth, noting that development is slowing, investment is shifting to other markets, and some hotels have closed or delayed expansion plans,” the report stated.
The report found that none of the members believe Los Angeles is a favorable environment to make investments and 80% said that the city is not a good place for long-term hotel investment. Almost all the members surveyed said that rolling back the regulations would make the city’s market more attractive.
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AHLA said that hotels are the backbone of Los Angeles’ tourism economy, investing millions of dollars in the city every year.
“Los Angeles hotels generate $12.5 billion in annual economic activity, support nearly 64,000 jobs, and produce more than $1.1 billion in state and local tax revenue that funds essential public services,” according to the report.
This isn’t the first time the AHLA has released a report showing adverse effects of the minimum wage mandate after Bass signed it into law. The AHLA previously commissioned another study that found hotels have eliminated or expect to eliminate 6% of positions, roughly 650 jobs, since the Hotel Worker Minimum Wage Ordinance took effect in September.
The Los Angeles City Council and Mayor Bass’ office did not respond to Fox News Digital‘s requests for comment.
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