Prince William and Kate Middleton are beloved members of the royal family, but Queen Camilla might have found a way to humble the power couple.
According to Robert Jobson, Camilla threw “subtle jabs” at the Prince and Princess of Wales to remind them of their place within the royal hierarchy.
“When Charles was kept waiting several minutes for the couple, Camilla insisted they go without them,” the author wrote in Catherine, the Princess of Wales. “As William and Catherine emerged, all they could see were the blue flashing lights of the motorbikes disappearing in the distance.”
Despite the tension between them, the Waleses’ relationship with Camilla has changed as Kate and King Charles battle cancer.
“Recent events have obviously brought William and Camilla much closer,” Jennie Bond told an outlet. “They have been left, almost literally, nursing The Crown while the king and the princess recover.”
“Apart from the business side of things, I’m sure they will have been an emotional help to one another as well,” Bond continued. “Both will have been so worried about these unexpected health issues and I imagine they will have shared their concerns.”
OK! previously reported Jobson claimed the Princess of Wales played a role in strengthening William and Charles’ bond.
“There were moments when the relationship between the king and the Prince of Wales was frosty,” Jobson said in an interview. “There have been problems like that in the past.”
According to Jobson, the brunette beauty is “the hub, the conduit to good relations” between William and Charles.
Kate, who is Charles’ “beloved” daughter-in-law, is often seen as a grounding force within the royal family.
“She’s been brilliant. I think the king absolutely adores her,” Jobson added. “You can see his eyes light up when he sees her.”
The author noted that Charles sees the princess as “the daughter he never had.”
“Navigating such tricky flare-ups between her husband and her father-in-law has put the princess in an invidious position over the years,” Jobson wrote in his new book. “She has learned to tread carefully on occasion and let time heal.”
Charles and Kate’s dynamic was on full display during Trooping the Colour, as it was the mom-of-three’s first public engagement since being diagnosed with cancer.
“The protocol is that traditionally Kate and William would be standing next to each other and the King and Camilla standing next to each other,” Grant Harrold said on behalf of Slingo. “It is planned but it is also changing the protocol to show the King and Kate united with each other and going through similar battles, so I would say this is down to the King’s preference. The balcony is all orchestrated, but I have a feeling the King said to Kate, ‘You stand next to me.’”
“It was nice that Charles and Catherine were standing next to each other, they are very close and it showed they are supporting each other,” the former royal butler continued. “I think it was a nice gesture and I’m sure William is pleased they were there beside each other.”
