Many have noted that King Charles seems to share an especially close relationship with his son Prince William's wife, Catherine the Princess of Wales. In recent years it has become apparent that the two are well bonded, with Catherine even pictured breaking royal protocol by publicly embracing the King at a funeral. The two royals also unfortunately shared the experience of receiving a cancer diagnosis at the same time.
But their mutual affection dates even further back: in 2023, during King Charles and Queen Camilla's four-day state visit to Kenya, the royal couple attended a state banquet in Nairobi, hosted by Kenyan President William Ruto at the State House and Charles made a heartfelt speech – where he couldn't help but praise the Princess.
During the event, the King spoke about the UK and Kenya's complex past, but also the two nations "shared ambitions" and said, "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."
Albeit a small snippet in his speech, it does give a modest insight into King Charles' and Kate's relationship. Prior to that, the King had rarely offered such outwardly affectionate words in public about the Princess of Wales, although the two have often been photographed together sharing a laugh and a joke over the years – with body language expert Judi James even telling The Express they "do seem to have a rather special relationship."
James added that it "shows up visibly in public as the pair seem to single each other out for attention and empathetic signalling."
Plus, that their "body language together suggests they are tuned in to each other, using flattery and mirroring signals to show some like-minded thinking or appreciation of a joke."
The King also recently granted the Princess of Wales special new powers, by allowing her to issue a royal warrant to her favourite British brands.
Here's to Charles and Catherine!
Sophie Williams is a Freelance Journalist and Copywriter, covering everything from Fashion to Entertainment to music, Lifestyle and Features. She has interviewed a range of musical artists and authors including Alyssa Edwards, Courtney Barnett, Confidence Man, The Vaccines, Loyle Carner, Gabrielle, and John Niven, and has written for publications like Metro, Reader's Digest, ITV's Woo! and Vice’s NBGA. She is also working on a book for HarperCollins about Taylor Swift, due to be published in 2024.
