Kate Middleton Has a Sweet Nickname for King Charles ― and It Says a Lot About Their Close Bond
Princess Kate's nickname for King Charles reveals the warm and affectionate bond they share behind palace doors.
Princess Kate and King Charles have to be one of the unlikeliest friendships behind palace doors, and they are much closer than most realize. Their relationship has evolved to the point where they have assigned nicknames for each other. According to reports, their bond became even stronger after their cancer diagnoses were revealed back in 2024 ― and as per royal expert Robert Jobson, the Princess of Wales has a sweet moniker for her father-in-law.
Jobson previously told The Daily Mail that Kate has a sweet nickname for the monarch inside the palace. Quoting a courtier, the expert revealed that the Princess calls the King "Grandpa." The affection appears to go both ways, with Charles said to have his own fond names for Kate, including "beloved daughter-in-law" and "darling daughter-in-law." The report also claimed that whenever he greets her, he does it with a loving kiss.
A source revealed to HELLO! that Kate and Charles had always shared a close relationship, but things grew even stronger as they supported each other through their cancer diagnoses and subsequent treatment. The insider said that the monarch paid Kate a bedside visit while they were both staying at the London Clinic. The pair also spent time together over a private lunch in Windsor just a day before the Princess announced her diagnosis to the world in March.
Royal author, Robert Hardman, said, “It's very clear that he's extremely concerned about her. I think he wants to make sure as much as he can that if there's anything he can do, he will do, because for a very fit and healthy young mother, this is a different order of magnitude than someone having to deal with this in their 70s.” He further explained that the King had probably been a source of comfort for Kate just as she had been for him during such a difficult period. Hardman added, “I think it cannot but have brought them even closer together. He's always had a huge regard for his daughter-in-law. He thinks she's just wonderful.”
Furthermore, he wrote in his book, Catherine, The Princess of Wales, that Kate helped bring Prince William and Charles closer, improving their relationship. “An instinctive peace-maker, she has smoothed the way for William and his father to have a better relationship than they had in the past,” he wrote. Long before their close bond became public, Kate had already spoken warmly about Charles. During her 2010 engagement interview with William, the Princess of Wales admitted she had been nervous about meeting her future father-in-law for the first time. But any nerves were short-lived, as she recalled, “I was quite nervous about meeting William's father, but he was very, very welcoming, very friendly. It couldn't have gone easier, really, for me.”
