Princess Kate and King Charles have only become closer over the years since Kate has been an official member of the Royal Family, and one touching gesture during a difficult moment showed just how strong their relationship is

Since Kate Middleton officially joined the Royal Family she has only become closer to her father-in-law King Charles.

This year with the pair both facing health challenges and undergoing treatment for cancer, their bond has only been cemented further. When Kate announced in an emotional video message to the nation that after serious abdominal surgery, post-operative tests had confirmed “cancer had been present” and she had begun a course of preventative chemotherapy, Charles was swift to throw his support behind his “beloved” daughter-in-law, with his spokesperson saying he was “so proud of Catherine for her courage”.

However, while the pair have bonded further during their recent difficulties, their closeness long predated their shared health challenges. In one particularly difficult moment of Charles’s life that left him “inconsolable” Kate stepped up to the plate to support her father-in-law, a royal expert has claimed.

When King Charles – then Prince of Wales – lost his father, Prince Philip, in 2021 he was left reeling and it was a major blow to the entire House of Windsor. With the social distancing restrictions of the Covid pandemic still in place, the Royal Family was not even able to grieve together in full force, adding further challenges to the already difficult mourning period.

One royal author – Robert Jobson – has claimed in his bombshell new book, Catherine, The Princess of Wales: the Biography, that during this time Charles was absolutely “inconsolable” at the loss of his father, but Kate quickly stepped up to the plate to support him. “Catherine reached out to Charles too, who was inconsolable at the loss of his father. Through her tenderness and warm interactions with him, she appeared to reassure her father-in-law,” the royal author explained.

Reports have claimed that ahead of Prince Philip’s funeral Downing Street offered to waive the socially distancing restrictions in place, but the late Queen Elizabeth refused, saying she wanted to set an example during the difficult time for the country, not to be an exception. It was later revealed that there had been parties at Downing Street the night before Philip’s funeral – with Number 10 forced to apologise to the late monarch. Only 30 people attended Prince Philip’s Windsor funeral – which he is said to have played a major role in planning – including Prince Harry who flew back to the UK from California to pay his final respects to his grandfather.