King Charles broke royal protocol with touching five-word message to Princess Kate
The change of order on the Buckingham Palace balcony at Trooping the Colour was viewed as a mark of respect to Princess Kate.
Eagle-eyed royal fans would have noted a slight change in the positioning of the Royal Family on the Buckingham Palace Balcony at Trooping the Colour 2024.
In a break in royal protocol, King Charles arranged for his "darling daughter-in-law" to stand next to him as the family gathered together and waved to crowds to mark the King's birthday parade on June 15.
Without a doubt, King Charles and the Princess of Wales would have found strength in each other as they confronted their own respective health battles.
A former royal butler, Grant Harrold, exclusively told OK! Magazine: "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 added that the line-up is usually orchestrated, and said King Charles may have uttered an emotional five-word statement to Kate: "You stand next to me."
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The announcements of King Charles and Princess Kate's cancer diagnoses came just a month apart, King Charles’ in February via a Palace statement and Kate’s in March via a public video.
As Kate released her statement, the King issued another, stating he was "so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did".
The statement added that the King was in "the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law" and that both he and Queen Camilla "continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time".
It also marked Kate's first official royal appearance this year - she had to take a step back from public duties following major abdominal surgery in January and her subsequent cancer diagnosis.
In a released statement before her appearance in June, Kate revealed she had "good days and bad days" undergoing gruelling chemotherapy for cancer but acknowledged she was "not out of the woods yet".
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In her book Kate: The Future Queen, royal author and biographer Katie Nicholl wrote about the closeness between King Charles and Princess Kate.
A senior member of Charles’ household is quoted as saying, "Charles was like any other father: he was very kind and hospitable towards Kate from the beginning. He was delighted William had found such a lovely girlfriend, and she was made to feel at home."
When his son became Prince of Wales in September 2022, his father specifically name-checked Kate in his speech.
He said: "With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the centre ground where vital help can be given."
