King Charles Broke Royal Protocol for Kate Middleton at Trooping the Color — and Fans Love Him For It

During the annual celebration of the King’s birthday last year, a wholesome moment unfolded between Kate Middleton and her father-in-law on the Buckingham Palace balcony. King Charles, known to be a stickler for protocol, is believed to have ‘broken’ one when he asked Middleton to stand beside him on the balcony. The sweet moment brought to light the strong bond they share, especially after having been on the same boat with their cancer diagnoses.

As per the Royal Insider, during the Trooping the Color parade, royal watchers noticed the unusual positioning of family members on the Palace balcony compared to previous years. Middleton stood beside the King, a spot usually reserved for her husband, Prince William, as heir to the throne. Although the monarch broke protocol, his gesture toward his daughter-in-law won hearts. They seemed relaxed standing next to each other, exchanging occasional dialogue. Ahead of the national anthem, Middleton reportedly even made the monarch laugh.

Commenting on the rare moment between the King and Middleton, royal butler Grand Harrold told OK! magazine, that the change in protocol signified the closeness Charles and Middleton share. He said, “It is changing protocol to show the King and Kate united with each other and going through similar battles. So I would say this is down to the King’s preference.” He further explained, “The balcony [line-up] is orchestrated, so I have a feeling the King said to Kate, ‘You stand next to me.'”

Last year, in particular, was a difficult one for the royal family as both Charles and Middleton announced their cancer diagnosis. While the King confirmed his illness in February, Middleton went public with her diagnosis in a video message in March. According to Mirror, Charles stated that he was in the ‘closest contact’ with his beloved daughter-in-law as he and his wife "continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time." Royal writer Duncan Larcombe also claimed that the King and Queen ‘adore’ Middleton right from the time she and William were dating. He said, “Charles and Camilla adore Kate, and I think they have from the very beginning. One of the very early signs of that was the fact that William got permission for Kate to come on Charles' ski trip with the family in 2004 and 2005. Charles wouldn't have done that if he didn't approve of her then.”

Larcombe continued, “That was the start of this bond between Charles and Kate. He'll be absolutely over the moon with how she's grown into the role, how she's made it her own, and how the public has warmed to her.” Several experts have claimed that the then-Prince and Princess of Wales saw their future daughter-in-law in Middleton early on. Middleton is currently in remission after seeking preventative chemotherapy, while Charles is still undergoing cancer treatment.