Prince William spoke from the heart on Gaza. But he should not have spoken at all

The heir to the throne has little to gain and much to lose from his careful, compassionate and conciliatory words on the killing in Gaza, writes Sean O’Grady

The Prince of Wales’s statement about the conflict in Gaza said: ‘Too many have been killed. I, like so many others, want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible’ (AP)

Prince William’s statement on the “conflict in the Middle East”, as he calls it, is as carefully crafted, compassionate and consensual as it is humanly possible to be. Yet he was wrong to issue it.

In his position, he has little to gain and much to lose from such remarks, because the risk of politicisation of the monarchy, and destabilisation, is far too great. Whatever a figure such as William says about Gaza is bound to leave someone aggrieved or offended – and so, I fear, it is already proving to be the case.

Not that there’s anything ostensibly, objectively “wrong” about the hopes he expresses – quite the opposite. None of the usual trigger words are in there – no mention of ceasefires, lasting, temporary, sustainable, humanitarian or otherwise. Nothing about UN resolutions. No mention of the siege, and only one reference to terrorism.