Prince William and Kate Middleton had joined King Charles and the royal family to bid their final goodbyes to Katharine, Duchess of Kent, at Westminster Cathedral on Tuesday.
Following the historic Catholic mass held for the late royal, the family had gathered on the steps outside place of worship as her coffin was moved into a hearse. The royals appeared emotional mourning the loss of their beloved member, but the simmering tensions between some did not go unnoticed.
After the coffin was en route to the Windsor grounds burial, the King was seen conversing with the cardinal, as William and Kate stood next to him. Just as Charles was ready to depart to his car, the Prince of Wales turned his attention away from his father to talk to the cardinal, leaving his father hanging.
During the awkward moment, William seemed to have avoided saying goodbye to his father when he turned towards them, which is when Princess Kate stepped in.
In a heartwarming gesture, Kate said goodbye to him with a kiss on each cheek before dipping into a quick curtsy while keeping her arm on his shoulder. It was a sweet display of the bond the king holds with his daughter-in-law.
Meanwhile, William kept his attention away, looking busy talking to others.
The interaction comes as reports have emerged about a growing rift between the King and his heir, especially after the monarch’s recent reunion with Prince Harry.
British-American journalist, magazine editor Tina Brown had revealed that Charles is “currently less irritated with the prodigal Harry than he is with his elder son and heir” which is mostly concerning over their vision for the monarchy.
William believes that his father is “weak” to reconcile with Harry as he himself remains estranged from his younger brother. On the other hand, Charles is not happy with how his heir has been handling his royal duties – William took five family vacations in the past seven months while the king took on 175 days of engagements during the past 12 months despite cancer treatment.
