King Charles was feeling ‘very emotional’ after having a private lunch with Kate Middleton the day before she bravely revealed her cancer diagnosis to the world.
The 75-year-old monarch traveled from London to Windsor Castle on Thursday for a personal conversation with his ‘beloved’ daughter-in-law.
It is believed Princess Kate, 42, wanted to confide in Charles about how he was coping with his own battle with the disease, reported The sun.
The Princess of Wales also discussed her emotional video in which she sat on a park bench and told the nation of her ‘huge shock’ at discovering she had cancer.
The intimate lunch between the pair strengthens the strong bond Kate and Charles share with the King, lovingly describing the Princess as his ‘beloved daughter-in-law’.
Months earlier, Charles had put on his dressing gown and ‘toddled’ over to comfort Princess Kate as they both recovered from surgery at the London Clinic.
King Charles felt ‘very emotional’ after having a private lunch with Kate Middleton the day before she bravely revealed her cancer diagnosis to the world
It is believed Princess Kate, 42, wanted to confide in Charles about how he was coping with his own battle with the disease
The intimate lunch between the pair strengthens the strong bond Kate and Charles share with the King, lovingly describing the Princess as his ‘beloved daughter-in-law’.
A source said Charles and Kate would have had a lot to discuss at the Windsor Castle lunch with the king just weeks before he started his course of treatment.
“The king left his lunch feeling very emotional,” they said.
‘They are very close and he considers Catherine his daughter.
“There is no doubt that they have much to share and can use each other as support during their own deeply personal battle with cancer.”
Meanwhile, insiders told the Sunday Times that King Charles, who was being treated for an enlarged prostate, ‘wobbled’ from his hospital bed to see Kate down the corridor.
The princess had undergone major abdominal surgery at the time – not believed to be due to a malignant condition – but post-operative tests found signs of cancer.
The idea of the cheerful king comforting his daughter-in-law – as they both faced major health challenges – will warm the hearts of millions of people across the country.
Kate and Charles have found comfort in each other as the couple simultaneously battles cancer, a well-placed source said The Telegraph.
“They can both empathize with what the other is going through, which helps during a difficult time like this,” they said.
The Prince and Princess of Wales were spotted together last week as William attended The Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey
King Charles III, who was himself undergoing treatment for cancer, arrived at Clarence House on Tuesday
“What we’ve seen over the last few weeks is that because they’re both going through the same health experience, this bond is strengthened.”
The King treats Kate like the daughter he never had and has a ‘soft spot’ for her, with the Princess often turning to His Majesty for advice on royal matters.
“He’s not a father figure per se – she has her own father to whom she is absolutely devoted – but you could say the king treats her like the daughter he never had,” the source added.
‘You can see it in the photos of them together. That relationship is best summarized in those fascinating moments when she first greets him with a kiss and then with a bow.’
Another insider said: ‘There is a very strong relationship between their majesties and the Waleses. They are very close, and even more so right now.”
Another source added to The Times: ‘The king has always had a close, warm and unique relationship with the princess.
‘She has great love and respect for him and his position.
‘When they were in the hospital together, there was a lot of strolling down the hall to spend time with her. He encouraged and supported her all the way.”
Details of the moving support meeting emerged tonight as it was also suggested the king hopes to attend the royal family’s traditional Easter Sunday service.
It could be his first public appearance after the Princess of Wales revealed she has cancer.
The King and Queen pictured with the Prince and Princess of Wales during their visit to the Defense Medical Rehabilitation Center in Loughborough, Warwickshire, in 2020
King Charles arrives at the London Clinic in Marylebone this morning for treatment
King Charles III and Queen Camilla leave the London Clinic in central London, where he had undergone prostate surgery on January 29
He may join the Queen in attending a smaller version of the annual service at Windsor Castle’s St George’s Chapel, health permitting.
The Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children will not attend next week’s service after Kate said in an emotional video message on Friday that she was undergoing preventive chemotherapy.
According to The Telegraph, it is unlikely to be a large family gathering or service as the King has suspended royal duties to the public.
Charles has been receiving treatment for an unknown form of cancer since early February after being treated for an enlarged prostate at the same hospital where Kate underwent abdominal surgery.
In an emotional video message, Kate spoke of the ‘huge shock’ after tests revealed cancer following the operation and the ‘incredibly tough few months’ her family have been through, with her voice cracking with emotion at times during the footage.
Charles is said to be ‘proud’ of his ‘beloved’ daughter-in-law for her ‘courage’ to speak out about her treatment and has been in close contact in recent weeks.
Messages of support also came from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who said: ‘We wish Kate and the family health and healing, and hope they can do this privately and in peace.’
In breaking news on television, it is announced that Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, has been diagnosed with cancer
It has been confirmed that the family will not attend this Sunday’s Easter service in Windsor
Princess Kate (pictured) said she is ‘extremely touched’ by the love and support she received following her cancer diagnosis
The form of cancer has not been disclosed, but the future queen began a course of ‘preventative chemotherapy’ at the end of February and is said to be in a positive attitude towards her recovery and in good spirits. She describes herself as ‘good and getting stronger every time’. day’.
William and Kate have been focusing on their children and taking the time to sensitively share the princess’s health with Prince George, Prince Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Lovers headed to Windsor in Berkshire on Saturday morning, including Linda Boby, from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, who told PA: ‘It’s such a shock, she’s such a young lady and she deserves her privacy.’
Local Clementine Black, 49, a business consultant, said: ‘It’s incredibly upsetting that Kate has to say this because of online speculation, to be honest.’
Political leaders from all parties have expressed their sympathy and support for Kate and criticized what Prime Minister Rishi Sunak described as the “intense criticism” she has faced from social media and parts of the media around the world.
Lord David Cameron, the Foreign Secretary, said in a message on X, formerly Twitter: ‘My thoughts are with the Princess of Wales, the Prince of Wales and their three young children at this time.
“The Princess’s strength – speaking so candidly, despite all the pressures of publicity and raising a young family – is remarkable and rightly admired around the world.”
On Friday evening, hashtags like “WeLoveYouCatherine” and “GetWellSoonCatherine” were trending on X.
It is understood the video message, recorded in Windsor on Wednesday, was released on the day William and Kate’s three children started their Easter holidays, to take advantage of the break and protect them from news about their mother’s health.
The announcement could end weeks of intense speculation and conspiracy theories on social media about the future queen’s whereabouts and health.