Sweet way Prince William and King Charles helped Kate 'grow' into her role

29 February 2024 , 12:58

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William and Charles have made every effort to support Kate (Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Princess Kate is considered one of the Royal Family's greatest assets.

Poised, confident, and down-to-earth, she is incredibly popular with members of the public. But it took time for her to adjust to royal life. When she walked up the aisle to marry Prince William with the eyes of the world on her, Kate would have been keenly aware she was joining one of the most families on the planet - and would, in fact, one day be Queen. A daunting prospect.

But, her husband has been by her side to guide her every step of the way. "Kate has had a great deal of encouragement, praise, guidance and support from her husband, and from her father-in-law, which has helped her grow into the confident and popular princess she is today," royal expert Jennie Bond told OK magazine.

While King Charles was perhaps not always able to be there as much as he may have liked for his own children, owing to his huge workload, the support he has given his son and "darling daughter-in-law" has been a second act for the family.

And his encouragement has not only allowed the couple to be there for each other, particularly in the recent difficult times following Kate's abdominal surgery, but also give them time to provide a secure and loving environment in which to raise Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five.

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Speaking of Kate's evolution, Jennie added: "I suppose she seemed a little bit shy in the beginning. But William deserves a great deal of credit because he has never appeared jealous of the attention that his wife gets. He has gently introduced her into what life would be like and has let her shine and constantly demonstrates that he’s hugely proud of her.

"When campaigns on certain issues, like mental health or early years learning, William allows her centre stage without quibble. They are an incredibly strong couple, which gives her a great deal of confidence."

Reflecting on her candid conversations with the late Princess Diana, Jennie said she believes the family have learnt from past mistakes. "I remember how Diana told me how lost she was during those first engagements," she recalled.

"She would be reluctant to get out of the car because she didn't know how she was just going to walk over and greet the huge crowds. She found it all incredibly daunting and felt she had no support.

"William has always been careful to guide, support and encourage Kate in all that she has done. He has never shown any sign of being jealous of all the attention his wife gets. He is immensely proud of her. But Charles found Di-mania hard to handle."

Gemma Strong