Prince William has been criticised for "dividing opinion" after issuing a statement detailing his stance on the Middle Eastern conflict.
The Prince of Wales released the controversial statement amid the ongoing war in Israel, expressing his "deep concern" for the war.
The future King called for an "end to the fighting" and claimed that "too many people have died" as a result of the October 7 attack by Hamas.
He added: "Sometimes it is only when faced with the sheer scale of human suffering that the importance of permanent peace is brought home."
Prince William has 'divided opinion' with his Israel statement
GBN America / PA
The statement was released as the royal paid a visit to the British Red Cross headquarters, to hear more about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The Prince has a previous relationship with the Middle East, after becoming the first royal to visit the region in 2018 and pledging to make peace in the Middle East his "lifelong project".
Reacting to the statement and the reaction it has caused, royal author and broadcaster Pandora Forsyth told GBN America that the statement "wasn't a mistake" by the Prince of Wales, but was "a shock".
Host Mark Dolan criticised the intervention and accused Prince William of being "arrogant and high minded" about the issue.
Prince William recently visited the British Red Cross HQ in London
PA
Forsyth told Mark: "It has completely divided opinion, and he knew it would divide opinion by doing this, but all of his aides would have gone over that with a fine tooth comb.
"And I've got no doubt that his father, the King, would have known about this as well, despite the fact he's working behind the scenes."
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Forsyth explained: "Even though it did come from him, there were lots of people involved in it to get to get the big tick and of course and the green light.
"It's important to note here the words that were used. There was no point in that statement where he used that charged word at the moment which is being all over the headlines such as ceasefire, which really does tell me that he went over it so carefully."
She continued: "Despite the fact he went over it so carefully, he made some very valid points."
Forsyth highlighted that the Royal Family are "supposed to stay out of politics" and even "dipping their toes" in controversial issues such as the Israel-Hamas war will "cause offence".
Pandora Forsyth claims King Charles 'will have known' about Prince William's statement
GBN America
Forsyth said of the mixed reaction to the Prince's statement: "Even by dipping his toes slightly into an extremely charged political topic at the moment, he has probably caused offence as well as obviously got a few fans out of it as well.
"So whatever side you may be on, it is going to cause reaction. And he knew it was going to cause reaction. And this is at a time where the Royal Family really is being put under a microscope with everything that they say because of what's happening at the moment in terms of the King's health diagnosis, Catherine's diagnosis, and what's happening over in America with Harry.
"So everything that he is doing at the moment and what he says is going to go over with a microscope."
