Everything Charles has ever said about his son’s wives – as he expresses his fondness for ‘beloved daughter in law’ Kate

During his trip to Kenya this week, King Charles took a moment to share his fondness for his ‘beloved daughter-in-law’.

The monarch took a moment to open up about the warm feelings he has for his oldest son Prince William’s wife. 

Charles, 74, mentioned the Princess of Wales, 41, during a heartwarming keynote speech in Nairobi. 

His sweet speech was no surprise: after all, the royal has been known to speak publicly about the warm feelings he has for his family, including his two sons Princes William and Harry.

And this is in spite of the well-publicised rifts experienced by the Royal Family in recent years.

While it’s clear from photos how much he cares for his daughter-in-law, King Charles made it even more explicit during a speech he gave in Nairobi (pictured L-R: then-Prince Charles and Kate Middleton at the World premiere of No Time To Die in London, September 2021)

FATHER AND DAUGHTER-IN-LAW: Meghan and then-Prince Charles appear to be enjoying each other’s company while attending the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London in March 2019

Despite claims of rifts between the royals, photographs suggest that at least on some occasions, members of The Firm were able to put their differences aside and put on a happy front (pictured L-R: then Prince Charles, Duchess of Cornwall, Duchess of Sussex at The Prince of Wales’ 70th Birthday Patronage Celebration at Buckingham Palace in May 2018)

Indeed, it is believed the monarch has had very little contact with his youngest son Harry in recent years.

This is since Harry, 39, and his wife Meghan Markle, 42, decided to step down as senior members of The Firm in early 2000.

Not long after leaving the Royal Family, the couple move to California, and do not appear to have much contact with most of the other royals since. 

However, despite this, King Charles has still spoken warmly about his youngest son and his wife in public.  

And he hasn’t shied away from doing this on the very biggest stage. 

In fact, it was during Charles’ first address to the world as monarch, following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II last year, that he shared a caring sentiment.

It may have perhaps been unexpected to some, but he took the time to ensure caring references to both his daughters-in-law were notable in the speech made from Buckingham Palace.

Here, FEMAIL rounds up the times King Charles has expressed his fondness for his daughters-in-law Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle.

KATE MIDDLETON

‘BELOVED DAUGHTER-IN-LAW’

The then-Duchess of Cambridge and Prince of Wales have been snapped sharing a chuckle on a number of occasions, including during this event at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Stanford Hall in Loughborough in February 2020

The King sweetly mentioned the Prince and Princess of Wales in his keynote speech at a state banquet in Nairobi.

King Charles, 74, who has been accompanied by Queen Camilla, recalled Prince William and Kate’s 2010 engagement in Kenya.

He said: ‘It was here, in sight of Mount Kenya, that my son, The Prince of Wales, proposed to his wife, now my beloved daughter-in-law.’

Prince William proposed to his then long-term girlfriend Kate Middleton in October 2010 in a log cabin while on safari at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, where he had spent part of his gap year almost a decade before. 

Kate is known to have a warm relationship with her father-in-law and has reportedly helped smooth the sometimes fractious relationship between the King and his son, William.

King Charles and Kate have also shown several public signs of their close relationship over the past few years. 

For instance, the Princess of Wales lovingly called her father-in-law by his family nickname of ‘grandpa’ when she greeted him at a G7 reception in 2021.

Meanwhile, in April 2021, the then Duchess of Cambridge shared a kiss on the cheek with her grief-stricken father-in-law as they left Prince Philip’s funeral.

Kate consoled Charles as the pair walked out of St George’s Chapel following the emotional service in memory of the Duke of Edinburgh.

Photographs show Kate comforting the then Prince of Wales over the loss of his father by putting her hand on his shoulder. She then kissed him on the cheek as they set off from the entrance of the chapel. 

Elsewhere, when greeting one another at engagements, Kate and the King will often share a friendly embrace and pecks on the cheeks. 

‘WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE HER’  

Kate’s willingness to get stuck into any task means she has become a well-liked member of Thr Firm – with family members as well as the public! (Pictured trying to iron artwork onto silk during a visit to the Dulwich Picture Gallery in March 2012)

Prince Charles movingly described Kate Middleton as the daughter he had never had during the speech and admitted: ‘We are lucky to have her.’

In a touching speech, the clearly emotional prince paid tribute to his new daughter-in-law – but still found time to crack jokes about his eldest son and his famously thinning hairline.

Charles chose to say a few off-the-cuff words as he toasted the newlyweds at a Buckingham Palace champagne reception thrown by the Queen for 650 guests and wished the couple a long and happy life together.

CONGRATULATING THE PRINCESS 

Images showing the closeness, such as this photo from the service of thanksgiving for the Queen at St Paul’s cathedral on June 2022 make it clear why Charles has several times said that the family is ‘lucky’ to have Kate

Marking his first address as the King, Charles was full of emotional pride for his son and daughter and law as he handed his and Camilla’s old titles to them.

‘As my Heir, William now assumes the Scottish titles which have meant so much to me,’ the royal said.

‘He succeeds me as Duke of Cornwall and takes on the responsibilities for the Duchy of Cornwall which I have undertaken for more than five decades.

‘Today, I am proud to create him Prince of Wales, Tywysog Cymru, the country whose title I have been so greatly privileged to bear during so much of my life and duty.

‘With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the centre ground where vital help can be given.’

MEGHAN MARKLE 

‘EXPRESSING HIS LOVE’  

The now King Charles has been captured on camera on multiple occasions appearing t0 enjoy a joke – it appears the two have, at least sometimes, enjoyed sharing a joke now and again (pictured on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping The Colour in June 2018)

Charles extended an olive branch to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in his first address to Britain and the world as monarch.

He said he wished to ‘express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas’.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex plunged the monarchy into crisis during the twilight years of the Queen’s reign after sensationally quitting frontline royal duties and moving to California three years ago – a saga which precipitated the rift between Harry and his brother William, allegations of racism against the royals and claims The Firm failed to help a suicidal Meghan.

After their bombshell interview with US talk show host Oprah Winfrey, Harry appeared to suggest, in a mental health podcast, that his father and the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh had all failed as parents.

FEARS OF BEING ‘OVERSHADOWED’

Despite claims that Charles was worried about the Sussexes overshadowing him and other members of The Firm, he was keen to publish this portrait to mark his 70th birthday which featured his youngest son and his wife

Charles feared being ‘overshadowed’ by Meghan and expressed concerns about having to support her financially, according to Harry.

The King said he was already worried about the cost of helping William and Kate as Harry’s relationship with Meghan blossomed – and asked whether the Suits actress wanted to continue in her profession, the duke claimed.

In his Spare memoirs, Harry said Charles warned him his family was ‘not made of money’, and he could not afford to support anyone else.

The Duke of Sussex said that his father had a healthy income from the ‘lucrative’ Duchy of Cornwall estate.

And he added that Charles did not support either the Sussexes or the Cambridges financially, with the exception of gifts. 

He said those gifts were in recognition of his sons’ dedication in carrying out royal engagements.

But Harry likened the set-up to being kept ‘in a golden cage’, unable to move and being ‘fed and clothed’ in return by their guards.

WALKING DOWN THE AISLE: After Meghan’s father did not attend her wedding Harry, then-Prince Charles offered to walk her down the aisle at their ceremony at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor in May 2018

The prince said he considered telling his father the cost of providing Meghan with food and shelter was minimal, given that she did not have a large appetite and could make her own clothes.

Instead, Harry wrote that it became obvious that his father ‘couldn’t stand’ someone who would ‘take centre stage’. He felt convinced Charles was concerned Meghan would ‘overshadow’ him and Camilla.

The reality, Harry claims to have realised, was the King could not face ‘a novel and resplendent’ royal who would take the limelight from him and Camilla and ‘dominate the monarchy’, according to The Daily Telegraph‘s interpretation of the memoirs.

The duke said his father experienced such a thing before, and ‘had no interest’ in letting it happen to him again.

The book does not explicitly state who had previously overshadowed his father, although Harry’s mother Diana, the late Princess of Wales, was dubbed the People’s Princess due to her strong affinity with the public.