King Charles Is Apparently Closer to Princess Kate Than He Is His Own Son, Prince William

King Charles and Kate Middleton — (Image credit: Getty Images)

During a visit to Kenya last October, King Charles gushed over the Princess of Wales, referring to Kate as “my beloved daughter-in-law” as he recounted how Prince William proposed to her in that country back in 2010. Now a working royal for nearly 13 years—and arguably the most popular working royal—Kate is not only family to Charles, but an asset to his work as monarch. Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith told People that both William and Kate are an “incredible enhancement” to the work of Charles and Queen Camilla, and the outlet reports that Charles and Kate in particular “are quite close,” and that Kate is “in some respects closer to him than William.”

Over the years, William and Prince Harry’s bond with their father has been somewhat of a “fractious relationship,” they continued, and “it’s only been recently that William has been closer [to Charles]—and Kate has acted as the honest broker in that.”

Despite Kate’s affable persona, those within the Royal Household and who have deep knowledge of it note her steeliness: “She has this public image of being nice and smiley and, dare I say, innocuous,” royal author Valentine Low said. “But she is actually strong-minded, strong-willed, and prepared to fight for what she wants and what she thinks is right.”

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Working alongside her husband, a former staffer told People “She provides William with directional setting. She guides the family and guides him.” Bedell Smith added that William and Kate “are pursuing the initiatives that are important to them. They are not pushing to supplant King and Camilla—they are an incredible enhancement.” And it seems she has the long game in mind: “Kate thinks strategically,” Low said. “She is going to be queen one day and has the long-term interests of the monarchy and royal family at heart.” After all, in addition to her husband one day being king, her son Prince George will one day reign, as well.

Despite ample controversy at the end of 2023 a la Omid Scobie’s bombshell book Endgame for both Charles and Kate, Kate is approaching her 42nd birthday next week as a fresh start. Of conflict with Harry, “She’s moved on, and William has, too,” a friend of Kate’s told People. “She’s very focused on what matters going forward. They aren’t looking back.”

One aspect that looks to remain consistent as 2024 comes into view is Kate’s importance to the royal family, said Simon Lewis, former Buckingham Palace communications chief and cohost of the BBC podcast “When It Hits the Fan.”

“She’s very much seen as a player at the center of team Windsor,” he said.

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Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.