Kate Middleton and King Charles share a very close bond – and have done so ever since their first meeting.
Here’s everything we know about the Princess of Waleses special relationship with her father-in-law, from their first thoughts on each other, the sweet nickname she has for him, and their shared health battle…
Kate Middleton and King Charles’ first meeting
Kate and Prince William first met back in 2001 while they were studying at St Andrew’s University.
In 2003 they began dating. At some point during this period, William brought Kate home so she could meet the family.
In his book from 2011, William and Kate: A Royal Love Story, royal expert Christopher Andersen wrote: “During her first visit to Balmoral, Kate jumped one significant hurdle. She met Charles.”
He then went on to say that the King – then the Prince of Wales – had been “impressed” by Kate thanks to her “unassuming grace”.
Kate on meeting Charles
In 2010, during her and William’s official engagement interview with ITV, Kate opened up about meeting Charles.
“I was quite nervous about meeting William’s father, but no, he was very, very welcoming, very friendly, so it couldn’t have gone easier, really, for me,” she said at the time.
Meanwhile, Charles couldn’t have made his happiness over Kate joining the Royal Family any clearer.
“The Prince of Wales is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince William to Miss Catherine Middleton,” a statement from Clarence House said at the time.
The daughter he never had
During a champagne reception at Buckingham Palace following the wedding, Charles gushed over Kate in an emotional speech.
“We are lucky to have her,” he said of Kate, according to HELLO! magazine.
He also described her as being the daughter he never had, as he wished the happy couple a lifetime of happiness.
Charles shows trust in Kate early
Kate and William married in April 2011, and it didn’t take long for Charles to show just how much he thought of her.
In October of the same year, he asked the now Princess of Wales to host a charity dinner at Clarence House on his behalf.
According to Women’s Wear Daily at the time, Charles had to pull out of hosting last minute following the death of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.
In 2012, Kate and Charles made a joint appearance together as they visited The Prince’s Foundation for Children and The Arts in London.
Kate Middleton and King Charles share ‘close rapport’
Back in 2021, during a royal engagement in Loughborough, Kate and Charles’ bond was on full display once again.
Pictures showed the King and his daughter-in-law sharing a laugh during the engagement.
Speaking to the Express at the time, body language expert Judi James suggested this showcased the duo’s tight bond.
“The pair do clearly speak and exchange warm smiles,” she said at the time.
“But it is Charles who seems to ‘light up’ the dynamic when he is present, cracking jokes and looking animated while Kate wrinkles her nose in a laugh of genuine humour and rapport,” she then continued.
She also suggested that their bond with Charles is what bonds Camilla and Kate.
“In many ways it looks as though it might be their shared affection for Charles is the prime tie that binds the two women [Kate and Camilla],” she then added.
Healing rifts and organising grandparent time
It’s been reported in the past that William and Charles’ relationship has been rocky at times in the past. It’s also been reported that Kate has been the one to help smooth things over.
According to reports, her organisation of a family portrait for Charles on his 70th birthday helped.
A few years ago, there were also reports claiming Charles wasn’t happy with how little he got to see his grandchildren – George, Charlotte, and Louis.
“I would like him to have more time with the children… to, you know, play around with the grandchildren. When he’s there, he’s brilliant, but we need him there as much as possible,” William said at the time.
According to reports, Kate urged Charles to come and visit their home more. She also took on the logistical challenge of getting her family back home from a holiday on the Isles of Scilly to coincide with his visit.
Kate’s sweet nickname for the King
Kate also appears to have a very sweet nickname for her father-in-law.
Back in 2021, Kate, William, Charles and Camilla were at a drinks reception at the G7 summit in Cornwall.
Arriving at the reception, Kate referred to Charles as “Grandpa”, according to a lip reader who spoke to Cornwall Live at the time.
King Charles and Kate Middleton share health battle
Earlier this year, it was announced that King Charles had been diagnosed with cancer.
Last month, Kate also revealed that she’d been diagnosed with cancer.
Following her announcement, Buckingham Palace released a statement in which the King said he was “so proud” of his daughter-in-law.
“His Majesty is ‘so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did,” it read.
Kate an Charles kept close contact following their respective hospital stays – which overlapped.
The statement added that both the King and Queen “will continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time”.
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Kate and the King: A Special Relationship airs on Channel 5 and My5 at 9.30pm on Saturday (April 6).
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