THE KING’S DAUGHTER IN LAW: HERE’S WHY CHARLES III IS PROUD OF PRINCESS CATHERINE OF WALES
We often watch King Charles III and his daughter-in-law Princess Catherine of Wales smiling and having a heart-to-heart conversation about something. How does the King of the United Kingdom really feel about the wife of Prince William of Wales? A royal expert has unexpectedly spoken out about it.
The Prince and Princess of Wales have been married for almost 13 years. They are raising three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Princess Catherine has managed to get along with her father-in-law. His Majesty treats his daughter-in-law like the daughter he never had. Royal expert Jenny Bond revealed why the British monarch appreciates Catherine. The expert believes Charles III admires the Princess of Wales and appreciates the strong family bond she has created for Prince William.
Catherine grew up in a wealthy but not aristocratic family. She has warm close relationships with her parents, sister and brother. She instilled her family values in her marriage to the heir to the British throne.
As Bond noted, the British monarch is devoted to his grandchildren, George, Charlotte and Louis, and photos show that he has an easy relationship with all three. In addition, the expert expressed that Charles is very proud of the way Catherine raises her children. The Princess of Wales managed to give them a normal childhood. According to the expert, Catherine grew up in the shadows, and she had to pass a difficult path to go from an ordinary girl to become a member of the royal family. This experience is especially valuable for George, who will in due course take the throne after his grandfather Charles and father William.
Jenny Bond believes Princess Catherine is ideally placed to help her children understand their role in the monarchy. Her Highness is key to providing a balanced upbringing for her children, and especially for her eldest son, who will become king in the future. Catherine is well aware that being part of the royal family brings privileges as well as limitations.
King Charles III touchingly mentioned his daughter-in-law during his foreign tour to Kenya. He recalled that in that country his son William proposed to his lover Catherine, who became his “favourite daughter-in-law”. Another expert Angela Levin noted that William liked Catherine’s family from the beginning, in their home he felt happy. Levin believes that the Prince of Wales sees Carole Middleton as a second mum. They have maintained a warm and trusting relationship since Prince William married Catherine in 2011.
When Prince William and Kate Middleton’s relationship first became public in 2004, tabloid speculation as to whether the art history student would one day become Britain’s future queen soon followed.
During this time, Prince Charles (now King Charles III) remained silent on the subject of Kate and her role in the life of his eldest son.
The couple dated for six more years before Charles officially announced their engagement from Clarence House, with the formal notice stating that he was “delighted” to do so.
William and Kate married in a large-scale royal wedding held at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011, with Charles playing a key role in helping organize music and the decoration of the historic abbey.
King Charles III and the Princess of Wales (when Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cambridge) photographed at the James Bond “Not Time to Die” movie premiere in London, September 28, 2021. Charles has referred to Kate as his “darling-” and “beloved daughter-in-law.”MAX MUMBY/INDIGO/GETTY IMAGE
In the 12 years since the royal wedding, there has been increasing speculation about the nature of Charles’ relationship with Kate, with both saying very little on the record to enlighten the press or royal fans.
Here, Newsweek looks at the rare occasions King Charles has spoken about daughter-in-law, Kate, in public.
‘They’ve Been Practicing For Long Enough’
The engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton was made from Clarence House on November 16, 2010, after the prince proposed during a visit to Kenya some weeks before.
On the day the announcement was made, the then-Prince Charles undertook a scheduled visit to the town of Poundbury in Dorset, which had been one of his architectural passion projects through the Duchy of Cornwall organization.
Prince Charles to Journalists in London, December 6, 2012
“Its a very nice thought of grandfatherhood in my old age, if I may say so. So, that’s splendid. And I’m very glad that my daughter-in-law’s getting better, thank goodness.”
In his speech, Charles paid tribute to the work Kate and William undertake, noting that he hoped they would continue to “inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the center ground where vital help can be given.”
King Charles III Accession Address to the Nation, September 9, 2022
“With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the center ground where vital help can be given.”
‘My Beloved Daughter-in-Law’
The latest comment that Charles has made about Kate came during his first state visit as king to a Commonwealth country, when he visited Kenya with Queen Camilla in October.
During a speech given at the state banquet held in his honor in Nairobi, the king referenced the fact that it was during a vacation to Kenya that his eldest son proposed, making Kate his “beloved daughter-in-law.”
King Charles III, Speech During State Visit to Kenya, October 31, 2023
“It was here, in sight of Mount Kenya, that my son, The Prince of Wales,
proposed to his wife, now my beloved daughter-in-law…”
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek‘s royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek‘s The Royals Facebook page.
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