Kate Middleton’s popularity is ‘disturbing’ to Charles, but she is considered a ‘great role model for the monarchy’
The Princess of Wales’s popularity is “worrying” for King Charles and Queen Camilla, but the palace considers Kate a “great role model for the monarchy”, royal experts claim.
To this week Follow Mail+’s PALACE CONFIDENTIAL seriesMail on Sunday deputy editor Kate Mansey and Daily Mail diary editor Richard Eden discussed the Princess of Wales’ surprise appearance at the Chelsea Flower Show.
The royal mother-of-three, 41, made her first appearance at the annual event since 2019, arriving hours ahead of King Charles and Queen Camilla’s scheduled appearance.
Addressing the frenzy of royal activity at the event, Kate insisted the Princess of Wales “didn’t compete with her in-laws” with her top-secret engagement.
The expert said: “I think she is a great role model for the monarchy.” [and] for the royal family and they appreciate it.
The Princess of Wales (pictured) made a surprise appearance at the Chelsea Flower Show this week – hours before Charles and Camilla were due to arrive
“They wouldn’t have had them there if they didn’t think it would be awesome, so I think there’s a way for all of them to exist.”
In addition, the royal expert noted that the King and Queen are currently in Northern Ireland where they engage in “high-level diplomacy”.
Earlier this week, the royal couple hosted their first garden party at Hillsborough Castle since their coronation, before visiting St Patrick’s Cathedral in Co Armagh yesterday.
Kate added, “So much glamor and glitz from Catherine.” [is welcome]. There’s room for everyone!’
However, Richard Eden noted that the Princess of Wales’ popularity was “disturbing” for Charles and Camilla.
Before the Queen passed away, the royal expert highlighted that there were royal advisers who wanted Charles and Camilla to have as many engagements with William and Kate as possible.
Using the 2021 James Bond premiere as an example, Richard said they would be seen as the “new Fab Four” – following the departure of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from the royal family.
He explained: “I think that was a chance to show that this is the future of the monarchy and that it’s in safe hands, something like that.”
The Mail on Sunday deputy editor Kate Mansey insisted Kate was “not in competition” with her in-laws
The expert noted that King Charles and Queen Camilla are currently in Northern Ireland where they engage in “high-level diplomacy”.
‘Now that [Charles and Camilla] Are king and queen, it’s a little different.
“They want a lot of attention for their causes and the things they care about, so it could be a little worrying if they don’t get that attention.”
Prince Harry claimed King Charles was jealous of the Princess of Wales’ media coverage and allegedly accused her and Prince William of “deflecting attention away from him and Camilla”.
In his sensational book Spare, the Duke of Sussex described how his father “controlled his brother’s purse” – meaning how much the Prince of Wales worked was essentially dictated by his father.
Using the 2021 James Bond premiere as an example, Richard said Kate, William, Camilla and Charles would be considered the “new Fab Four”.
According to Harry, the King and Queen consort (pictured on Christmas Day) “openly” berated Prince William for “taking attention away from them”.
When the then-Duchess of Cambridge announced she was expecting Princess Charlotte in 2014, Prince Harry opened up about how his brother was dubbed “work-shy Wills”.
Defending Williams, Harry wrote, “He did what dad wanted him to do and sometimes it wasn’t much because dad and Camilla didn’t want Willy and Kate to get a lot of publicity.”
Prince Harry claims his father and stepmother “openly scolded” William for “drawing attention away from them”. [and] their causes’.
As an example, Prince Harry went on to relate how his father’s press secretary was furious that the Duchess of Cambridge’s team had booked an appointment for her on the same day as one of Charles’
As it was too late for the mother-of-three to call off her engagement at a tennis club, Charles’ press secretary instructed that the Duchess should not be allowed to be in any photograph holding a racquet.
“Such a winning, adorable photo would undoubtedly make Pa and Camilla disappear from the front pages,” Harry wrote. “And that, in the end, could not be tolerated.”