Queen Camilla and the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, are two of the most senior women in the royal family, but their relationship has not always been smooth sailing apparently.
Over the years, the dynamic between the two women has evolved significantly, going from reported tension and scepticism to a more cordial partnership built on mutual duty and shared experiences.
Queen Camilla reportedly did not see Kate as royal material (Credit: Cover Images)
Camilla ‘did not think Kate was worthy’ of joining the royal family after she struck up relationship with William
Royal biographers and insiders have long suggested that Queen Camilla wasn’t always fond of Kate.
According to author Christopher Andersen, Camilla initially disapproved of William‘s then-girlfriend, believing she was not “of their class”. Camilla reportedly considered Kate’s middle-class background unworthy of royal life.
“Camilla’s a believer in aristocracy [and] kind of a snob,” he told Us Weekly. “She did not look at Kate as someone who was worthy of joining the royal family.”
Royal expert Tom Quinn echoed this in the Channel 5 documentary, The Middletons: Modern Royal In-Law.
“I’d heard that Camilla wasn’t very keen on Catherine,” he shared, as reported by Express. “She didn’t shoot. She’s not into horses particularly. Camilla felt there was too much of a gap.”
Ironically, Camilla herself was once seen as unsuitable to marry Charles, which perhaps made her cautious about new additions to the royal fold.
In fact, some claim Camilla even played a role in Kate and William’s brief split in the mid-2000s.
As reported by Express, Andersen claimed: “I was told at the time of the breakup that Camilla basically whispered in Charles’ ear that it was really time to make, to force, William to make a decision one way or the other.”
Charles reportedly asked William to either commit or end the relationship.
The women’s relationship has been up and down, it’s been reported (Credit: Cover Images)
‘Peacemaker’ Kate helped Camilla improve her relationship with William
Despite the alleged rocky start, time appears to have softened the reported tension.
After William and Kate rekindled their romance and eventually married in 2011, Kate reportedly helped improve Camilla’s relationship with Prince William and other senior royals. Royal biographer Angela Levin credits Kate for being a “peacemaker”, helping to smooth over any family tensions.
“Fortunately, time helped improve Camilla’s relationship with senior royals, including Prince William,” she claimed in her book, Camilla: From Outcast to Future Queen Consort. “Largely thanks to the Princess of Wales, who is a peacemaker.”
The royal women began finding common ground in public duties and their roles as royal wives.
Camilla was present at Kate and William’s wedding, with her granddaughter Eliza serving as one of Kate’s bridesmaids. Camilla gushed about the little girl after the event, calling her a “lovely little thing”.
Camilla once shared some personal wisdom with the Princess of Wales (Credit: SplashNews.com)
Camilla shared ‘personal advice’ to future queen
Camilla has also reportedly shared personal advice with Kate. In Robert Lacey’s book, Battle of Brothers, he claimed that Camilla once advised Kate to follow William’s lead and fit her life around his demanding schedule as a royal.
“Camilla had confided to Kate the secret of hanging on to a busy prince,” Lacey explained. “Fit your timetable – well, basically your whole life – around his.”
This wisdom may have resonated with Kate. The Princess of Wales has been praised for her steady support of Prince William and her graceful transition into royal life.
Camilla also reportedly gave Kate a sentimental wedding gift: a bracelet with two engraved Cs, believed to stand for “Camilla” and “Catherine”. Kate wore the bracelet at Wimbledon and to several events in 2011.
They have attended the ocassional engagement together (Credit: SplashNews.com)
Camilla ‘scolds’ Kate at Queen Elizabeth’s funeral
Despite this evolution, not all has been smooth. One moment that drew attention reportedly happened at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022.
During the televised procession, Kate’s son Prince George reportedly playfully pinched his sister Princess Charlotte, prompting Camilla to gesture at Kate and reportedly instruct her to “take her,” according to lipreader Jeremy Freeman.
There was another public incident in 2025 during the Trumps’ second state visit.
As Kate joined Melania Trump and Camilla at Windsor Castle, video footage was shared online and royal fans believed Camilla was “shooing” Kate away.
While some interpreted it as a power play, others pointed out that it was likely about safety, as horse-drawn carriages were approaching.
Royal experts have claimed that the senior royals have developed a ‘strong’ bond over the years (Credit: SplashNews.com)
Kate and Camilla have built ‘strong’ relationship
Over the years, the women have worked more closely together. In 2022, Camilla entrusted Kate, a passionate photographer, to shoot her official Country Life magazine cover portrait.
The publication’s editor praised Kate’s work, calling the photos “superb” and expressing a desire to work with her again.
According to former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond, while the bond between Camilla and Kate may never be that of a traditional mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, they share a unique relationship.
“Camilla is the only mother-in-law Kate will ever have. But it can never be quite the same when it’s a second marriage,” Bond noted to OK!.
She also observed signs of a “strong” bond between the two women.
She said: “I think Camilla will always feel one step removed from being a real mother-in-law to Kate. But they do appear to have a strong relationship. Quite frankly, what’s not to like about one another?”
Camilla is the only person that Kate can turn to for advice about transitioning into her future role as queen (Credit: SplashNews.com)
Camilla is ‘hesitant’ to pass on royal duties
Today, as Queen Camilla embraces her role alongside King Charles, there are murmurs that she’s not eager to hand over the reins just yet.
“She loves her responsibilities,” a source told Us Weekly. “She doesn’t want to let it go so fast.”
They claimed Camilla is “particularly hesitant” about passing duties to Kate, and that the pair have “always had a tense relationship”.
That hasn’t stopped Kate and William from preparing. As the insider explained: “William and Kate have been preparing for this for many years. They both feel comfortable stepping into greater roles.”
Still, Camilla remains one of the only people Kate can truly learn from as she prepares to one day become queen consort herself.
“There is literally no one else for Catherine to turn to who has direct experience of the role that will one day be hers,” Jennie Bond explained.
Queen Camilla and Princess Kate may have started on shaky ground. However, their relationship has developed into one of mutual respect.
As Kate continues to learn from Camilla’s transition into royalty, the future queen can take comfort in knowing that someone has walked the path before her, even if their journey together has been a rollercoaster.
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