How Kate Middleton's 'frocks' reminded King Charles of 'fractures' in Diana relationship

King Charles III was 'irritated' by Kate Middleton's fashion when she first joined the Royal Family in 2011, a royal insider has claimed

Kate Middleton's 'frocks' reminded King Charles of 'fractures' in Diana relationship
(Image credit: Getty)

King Charles III was 'irritated' by Kate Middleton in the early days of her marriage to Prince William, a royal biographer has claimed. 


King Charles III was 'irritated' by Kate Middleton when she first joined the Royal Family due to how much press attention her outfits were getting, a royal insider has claimed. 

His Majesty reportedly disliked that his daughter-in-law would frequently make headline news in the early days of her marriage with Prince William, fearing that her presence would ultimately distract from his own engagements. He was particularly annoyed by the focus on Kate Middleton's dresses, feeling that her style received undeserved coverage in the mainstream press. 

"Charles was sometimes irritated that Kate’s frocks got more media attention than his good works," Katie Nicholl writes in her bombshell biography, The New Royals. 

The King's frustration over Kate's popularity echoed the situation with his ex-wife, Princess Diana, who famously received more interest in the British press than he did at the time of their relationship. 

Diana

Prince Charles was reportedly jealous of Princess Diana's popularity 

(Image credit: Getty)

It was widely reported throughout their marriage that Charles was jealous of the late royal, with Princess Diana even confirming the rumors to be true in 'Diana: In Her Own Words.' 

"Her star immediately eclipsed her husband’s, causing early fractures in their relationship," Nicholl explains. "The diligent, sensitive, and status-conscious Charles found it hard to understand. He could not see that in the new media age, being a royal-born prince and future king was a lesser currency than his wife’s megawatt beauty and disposition." 

It's understood that Charles continued to fight envy when Prince William married Kate Middleton, with the royal couple's tour of Canada in 2011 reportedly unleashing the King's green-eyed monster once again. 

Charles and Kate

(Image credit: Getty)

His Majesty was "more than a little irked" by the Prince and Princess of Wales' behavior on the overseas trip, according to the 2017 biography, Charles: The Misunderstood Prince.

The King found the "camera-friendly" couple's constant photo ops "tasteless", claims writer Sally Bedell Smith, adding that he believed they were treating the visit like their own "personal holiday."

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.

Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.