Prince William and Queen Camilla are presenting a united front in support of King Charles, who is currently battling cancer, although their relationship was not always so amicable.
Royal expert Hilary Fordwich revealed to Fox News Digital that initially, the heir to the throne held resentment towards his stepmother due to the tumultuous, public split of his parents.
“Prince William couldn’t initially tolerate Camilla,” Fordwich stated to Fox News Digital. “[However,] he has learned to value her unwavering commitment to duty. Their relationship has grown closer as they have connected over their partners dealing with cancer treatment.”
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“Prince William couldn’t initially tolerate Camilla. [However,] he has learned to value her unwavering commitment to duty. Their relationship has grown closer as they have connected over their partners dealing with cancer treatment.”
Royal experts suggest it took time for Prince William to grow fond of his stepmother, Queen Camilla. (Victoria Jones/WPA Pool/Getty Images)
“Camilla provides a soothing presence for King Charles. Prince William values that she contributes to his father’s happiness,” Fordwich noted.
Fordwich’s comments came in light of revelations that Camilla is not hesitant to confront William when she feels he disrespects his father.
Robert Jobson, author of the new biography “Catherine, Princess of Wales,” recounted a situation where William and Kate Middleton requested to join Charles and Camilla’s security convoy departing Windsor Castle. In an excerpt shared by the U.K.’s Mirror, the royal correspondent stated that the younger royals left the older couple waiting, much to Camilla’s displeasure.
Author Robert Jobson claimed the Prince and Princess of Wales left the king waiting, much to Queen Camilla’s displeasure. (Lesley Martin/Pool/Getty Images)
Jobson recounted that Camilla advised Charles to go ahead without the couple to teach William a lesson.
“When Charles was kept waiting for several minutes, Camilla insisted they leave without them,” Jobson reported. “As William and Catherine emerged, all they could see were the blue flashing lights of the motorbikes disappearing into the distance.”
The book indicated that Camilla often provided William with “subtle” reminders about the royal hierarchy.
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Reports suggest Queen Camilla is very protective of King Charles, her longtime partner. (Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
A spokesperson from Buckingham Palace declined to comment on Jobson’s book. A representative from Kensington Palace, which oversees William and Kate’s office, did not respond promptly to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Christopher Andersen, author of “The King,” stated that it took time for Camilla to muster the courage to stand up to her stepson.
Queen Camilla and Prince William share a friendly bond today, but it hasn’t always been this way, according to royal experts. (Henry Nicholls/WPA Pool/Getty Images)
“When she first met William at Clarence House, Camilla was so anxious she was trembling and required a vodka and tonic afterward,” Andersen reported. “This reaction is understandable, given that Camilla — along with the world — recognized she had played a role in the breakdown of William’s parents’ marriage, Charles and Diana.”
Regardless of any true feelings William may have harbored towards Camilla, he masked them well, Andersen noted.
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Prince William, the first son of King Charles III and the late Princess Diana, is the heir to the British throne. (Getty Images)
“William always treated Camilla with courtesy, maintaining a civil relationship with her,” he continued. “This is partly because Camilla is astute enough not to instruct William in any manner. Despite her reputation, she is not the nurturing type. She was never particularly hands-on with her own children and certainly wouldn’t have intervened in Charles’ dynamics with his children.”
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“Camilla is not a disciplinarian,” Andersen pointed out. “Nevertheless, she does offer her insights to the king regarding what she perceives as William’s and Harry’s deficiencies.”
British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard expressed to Fox News Digital that the king and his heir have tussled over the years, so it wouldn’t be shocking if Camilla provided her beloved husband with her thoughts on his sons.
Charles and Camilla tied the knot in 2005. (Anwar Hussein Collection/ROTA/WireImage/Getty Images)
“Prince William and King Charles have not always seen eye to eye,” Chard clarified. “They frequently clash as their opinions diverge on multiple subjects. Their leadership styles are also vastly different.”
“Prince William is methodical and takes action quickly to accomplish tasks,” Chard explained. “He tends to be less emotional than his father, and he can be perceived as obstinate; once he makes a decision, he is unlikely to change it. He generally adopts a tougher stance on matters than his father, who is more sentimental and approaches issues with his heart.”
Royal experts indicated that Prince William’s leadership approach differs significantly from his father’s. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
“King Charles struggles with decision-making, especially regarding family matters,” Chard further explained. “Prince William embodies a modern royal perspective and aims for transformation within the royal family. He has consistently enjoyed higher popularity compared to his more traditional father. Although this popularity was once a source of unease for his father, it no longer seems to be an issue now that Charles is king.”
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King Charles and Queen Camilla were crowned in May 2023. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
“Queen Camilla, a pillar of support for King Charles, ensures that Prince William understands his possible disrespect toward his father when it’s warranted. However, Prince William and Queen Camilla now have a generally amicable relationship built on respect for each other’s strengths. They are aware that despite certain protocol disagreements, everyone must rally together to support one another and maintain stability during tough times.
While the bond between William and Camilla has significantly improved, Prince Harry portrayed his stepmother as a villain in his 2023 memoir, “Spare.”
Prince Harry depicted his stepmother as a villain in “Spare.” (Getty Images)
During promotional interviews for his memoir, Prince Harry accused his 76-year-old stepmother of leaking private discussions to the press to improve her own image. He asserted that certain family members colluded with the media to garner favorable coverage, pointing out Camilla’s efforts to restore her reputation following her long-term affair with his father.
“That made her dangerous because of the connections she was establishing with the British press,” Harry told CBS. “There was a mutual willingness from both parties to trade information. And in a family structured on hierarchy, with her on the verge of becoming queen consort, there would inevitably be casualties.”
The allegations against Camilla struck a particularly sensitive chord due to her involvement in the dissolution of Charles’ marriage to Princess Diana, Harry’s mother.
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Lady Diana Spencer and Camilla Parker-Bowles at the Ludlow Races, where Prince Charles was competing in 1980. (Express Newspapers/Archive Photos)
The late Princess of Wales once labeled Camilla, who had a long-term affair with Charles, as the third party in their marriage. Although many initially rejected Camilla, she has gained admirers by engaging in numerous charitable endeavors and has played a role in helping Charles appear less traditional and more relatable to contemporary Britain.
Prince Harry claimed he and Prince William pleaded with their father not to marry Camilla. (Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images)
Discussing his father’s 2005 wedding to Camilla, Harry expressed, “I had mixed feelings about gaining a stepparent who, I believed, had recently sacrificed me for her public relations ambitions.” Nonetheless, he mentioned wanting his father to find happiness.
“In a peculiar way, I even wished for Camilla to be content. Perhaps she would be less dangerous if she were happier?”
Harry added that both he and William had “pleaded” with their father against marrying his long-time lover, fearing she would become a “wicked stepmother.”
Prince Harry’s memoir “Spare” was released in January 2023. (Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)
“People need to understand that one thing Charles cannot tolerate is criticism of Camilla,” Andersen previously stated to Fox News Digital.
“Any criticism directed at Camilla is intolerable,” Andersen remarked. “Regrettably for Harry, his comments about her were quite scathing. He clearly characterized her as the antagonist in this context. This still seems to trouble the king, and it may not be simple for him to forgive. I doubt they will ever fully reconcile with Harry over this.”
“[Harry’s] pretty much on his own,” Andersen added, referring to the Duke of Sussex.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
