TL;DR:
- Kate Middleton sat in the front row at the coronation, however, she didn’t have an official role.
- Her parents, Carole and Michael, as well as her siblings, Pippa and James, sat six rows back.
- According to a royal expert, having her family nearby at the coronation showed Kate Middleton’s “influence” as the “queen-in-waiting.”
King Charles III’s coronation centered around, well, the king. However, a royal expert says he wasn’t the only one putting on a show. The king’s daughter-in-law, Kate Middleton, flexed her muscles as a “growing power” in the royal family. How? By having her relatives seated not far from where she sat in the front row at Westminster Abbey.
Kate Middleton had no official role in King Charles’ coronation
She might be a future queen but the Princess of Wales didn’t play an official role in the coronation. Kate attended the May 6 ceremony alongside her husband, Prince William, and their three children; Prince George, 9, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5.
George and the Prince of Wales were the only two Wales family members who technically had roles. After all, they’re first and second in the line of succession. (William kneeled and pledged his loyalty to King Charles while George served as a Page of Honor.)
Despite not having an official role in the coronation ceremony, Kate looked the part. Her coronation outfit included a custom Alexander McQueen gown, complete with a robe and silver flower crown.
Along with William and her three children, Kate participated in the carriage procession from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace. They also joined the newly-crowned King Charles and Queen Camilla on the palace balcony.
Kate’s parents and siblings were at Westminster Abbey for the crowning of King Charles and Queen Camilla
Also there to see King Charles crowned were Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael, as well as her siblings, James and Pippa. The addition of Kate’s family showed, according to royal expert Camilla Tominey, the Princess of Wales’ “growing power and influence.”
Kate, Tominey noted in The Telegraph, used to be a “plus one” when she started dating her now-husband of 12 years. “Once seen by some as a mere WAG [wife and girlfriend],” Kate’s now “queen-in-waiting.” As such, she can “call the shots.”
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So, when Kate’s parents, sister, and brother sat six rows behind her, William, Charlotte, and Louis at the coronation, it “left little doubt over the Princess of Wales’s growing influence.”
The outlet also reported coronation organizers approved Kate’s request for additional invitations for her team members. Which, given the scaled-back guest list of 2,200 by coronation standards, spoke volumes.
Kate Middleton pointed out her parents to Princess Charlotte at the coronation concert
The Middleton family’s presence during coronation weekend didn’t stop with King Charles’ official crowning at Westminster Abbey. Kate’s parents were also in the audience at the Windsor Castle coronation concert on May 7.
Per Hello!, photographers spotted Kate pointing out her parents, Carole and Michael, to Charlotte. Sitting in the royal box with William, George, King Charles, and Queen Camilla, Charlotte’s maternal grandparents could be seen sitting in the section just below.
Meaning Kate’s parents were there for William’s tribute to King Charles and for Charlotte’s adorable reaction to seeing her dad on stage.
The evening included performances by Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Take That, among others, with Downtown Abbey and Paddington actor Hugh Bonneville hosting.
Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.
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