Despite his immense royal responsibilities, the Prince of Wales is a family man at heart.
And this was made especially clear during his recent visit to Royal Ascot as he mingled with extended family members, including his mother-in-law Carole Middleton, as well his cousin, Zara Tindall.
In a bid to further dissect William’s interactions, HELLO! spoke with Dr. Arthur Cassidy, Royal Commentator & Celebrity Psychologist as well as a Chartered member of the British Psychological Society.
Reflecting on the father-of-three’s wholesome interaction with Carole, and how it’s indicative of his bond with his family, Dr. Arthur said: “Prince William is consistently a calming influence on not only Carole but the entire Middleton family.”
© Getty ImagesPrince William has been described as a “protector and guardian”
Musing on his protective nature, he added: “[William] is the protector and guardian of Kate and Princes George, Louis, and Princess Charlotte.”
Carole’s influence on William
On Carole’s positive influence, Dr. Arthur continued: “Since Prince William met Kate’s mother Carole Middleton, he would have intuitively been attracted to her charismatic nature and fun-loving personality.
© Getty ImagesPrince William shares a close bond with his mother-in-law Carole Middleton
“The astute, highly motivated and driven businesswoman was exactly what Prince William needed to provide the context for his own personal identity development amid all of his royal responsibilities.
“Having the business head of Carole would be a most significant and refreshing external source as William could turn to her wisdom and guidance on how he and Kate could make the monarchy more relatable for the future.”
© Getty ImagesThe royals gathered on the balcony at Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Colour
William and his family were last seen publicly together at this year’s Trooping the Colour. The family-of-five appeared together on the royal balcony where they admired the RAF flypast. Amid the celebrations, the Wales family also shared a behind-the-scenes snapshot, which they captioned: “Another brilliant day at Trooping the Colour for His Majesty’s Birthday Parade. Thank you to everybody who came, and to all those who took part.”
© Getty ImagesPrincess Kate at this year’s Garter Day service
William has notably been by Kate’s side during her gradual return to royal duties. Princess Kate has been making a slow return to work since completing chemotherapy last autumn, and has opted to make a handful of public outings, including Wimbledon, Trooping the Colour and Garter Day.
HELLO! understands that, even though her appearances have become more frequent and regular of late, the future Queen still “has to find the right balance” as she returns to public life.