Charles Pays Sweet Tribute to William at Banquet — but The Prince Snubs Him In Awkward Moment
King Charles and Queen Camilla, joined by Prince William and Kate Middleton, went the extra mile to welcome French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron on their state visit to the UK. To make them feel at home, the King and Queen hosted a plush royal banquet. During his speech at the dinner, Charles paid a sweet tribute to William while reflecting on the royal family's historic ties with France. However, after the address, the Prince did not so much as clap or acknowledge his father's words, leaving royal fans seriously unimpressed.
Charles delivered a powerful speech, reflecting on a thousand years of shared history and culture between the UK and France. As reported by Tyla, he also included a sweet nod to his eldest son while noting that Windsor Castle was begun by his ancestor William, Duke of Normandy, in 1070. He noted, "So it is perhaps rather appropriate that my son, the Prince of Wales, who shares that earlier William's name, has made Windsor his home with his family, like so many of our predecessors." In response, a viral video from the dinner showed William being icy towards Charles, as he was the only one seated and not clapping, while the other guests stood up and responded to the King's speech with thunderous applause.
On a Reddit thread, netizens slammed William for his brutal snub and odd behavior. A royal watcher commented, "Literally everyone at the table is giving the King a standing. Yet, his own heir can't be bothered to stand... He wants to be anywhere else but there." Another echoed, "Can't wait for Charles to see this lack of respect from his heir... Charles looks like he's standing with one foot in the grave, and this is William's response." A netizen gave the Prince the benefit of the doubt and penned, "My first assumption would be that William was following a protocol or etiquette at that moment." As the comments poured in, a critic slammed, "William doesn’t even hide his disdain for his father..."
Fans also opined that if Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were to have behaved in this manner, the reactions would have been far different. A netizen said, "Is this getting news coverage? Imagine if this had been one of the Sussexes?" Another agreed, "If this had been Harry or Meghan, the media would be calling for them to be sent to the tower asap." A netizen quipped, "If I had to attend one of those dinners, I’d be hoping I’d sit beside Meghan or Harry."
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Charles, in his speech at the state banquet, spoke highly about France's cultural influence on the UK. As per the BBC, he stressed that both countries faced a "multitude of complex threats emanating from multiple directions," but could face them together "as friends and allies." He also highlighted the collaborations related to defense, technology, and climate change, noting that the two countries have a "critical role to play together."