Catherine, Princess of Wales + King Charles
Like father and daughter
Catherine, Princess of Wales and King Charles
© Danny Martindale/Getty Images
It’s lucky that they have each other: Catherine, Princess of Wales, and King Charles get along very well. It was a long way to get there.
She wanted his advice. And of course his blessing for her video, in which Catherine, Princess of Wales, 42, spoke so admirably openly about her cancer. Both were given by King Charles, 75, at a lunch together. The monarch immediately followed the call of his “beloved daughter-in-law” – as he calls her – and had himself chauffeured to Windsor Castle especially for lunch with her. It was extremely unusual, says a palace employee in an interview with GALA: “The king actually doesn’t like such spontaneous actions. Plus, his day is well-planned, there are no gaps. And: he doesn’t have much strength himself.” But for Kate, he was happy to drop everything and set off.
Catherine, Princess of Wales: She is his favorite
He really likes and admires his beautiful and hardworking daughter-in-law, GALA hears from the palace. First and foremost, for her unwavering loyalty to the Crown and the Windsors. For being such a great partner to son William, 41, and a fabulous mom to the children. And that she always carries out her job as a figurehead of the monarchy in a consistently friendly and approachable manner.
The two also get along wonderfully on a personal level, GALA learns. They share the same sense of humor. Dry sayings? They can both laugh heartily about that. And unfortunately there are currently less beautiful things that connect Kate and her father-in-law: both are fighting cancer.
They give each other strength
Intimate moments ariseeven in these challenging times. At the beginning of the year, when both were being treated at the London Clinic, Charles often visited Kate in her room, says our court source. “Sometimes they talked for up to an hour.” Balm for Kate’s sore soul – and at the same time moments in which their bond was made even tighter for eternity.
Such an intense connection did not always exist. Kate rarely met Charles in her first few years in the Windsors’ orbit. She and William much preferred staying with the Middletons in Berkshire, where they spent Sundays eating cake, playing board games and taking walks. Visits to the future father-in-law, on the other hand, were more formal, with people sitting stiffly opposite each other at tea time and exchanging pleasantries. She felt insecure around the high nobility, also because the press (and some royals) at the time vilified her as a “middle-class Middleton” because of her bourgeois origins.
Their relationship only developed over the years – thanks to Meghan
And what brought about the turning point? Another woman: daughter-in-law number two – Meghan. We remember: In the beginning, the actress was celebrated as a rising star at Königs. Quite a few actually believed that she would overtake Kate. As is well known, nothing came of it. Nobody speaks about the Duchess of Sussex anymore (and if they do, nothing good); it fizzled out without a song or a sound. But the king, who has been badly affected by the Sussexes, now appreciates the unpretentious Kate even more.
The princess is the future, the linchpin of the monarchy. Kate eventually becomes queen and raises the heir to the throne; all hopes rest on her. And she gives husband William the warmth that Charles couldn’t offer his son.
The prince could really use the attention right now. William, the brave, is somewhat forgotten due to the illness of his favorite people. He does a lot: “Wills” looks after George, 10, Charlotte, 8, and Louis, 5, attends appointments on the side and gives his wife strength and support. For him, Kate’s diagnosis must be particularly terrible because it awakens old, primal fears. Although he worked through the accidental death of his mother Diana in many therapy sessions, he will never forget it.
William had planned the only right thing for the Easter holidays: a holiday at Anmer Hall with its huge garden. The old trees and the many bushes offer opportunities for the children to run around – and the best hiding places for Easter eggs.
Of course, Kate didn’t have to go to church like she usually did on the holidays. Father-in-law Charles took over. Unlike usual, however, he drove the car directly to the church. After the service he greeted onlookers. A cautious return, during which Charles probably thought about how much nicer it would be if Kate was there again.