Prince William has forgiven his father for the 'mistakes of the past' and 'woken up to the fact Charles has been as much of a positive influence as Diana', royal expert claims
- Camilla Tominey says image of Charles and William on Father's Day is significant
- Shows William, 38, has forgiven Prince Charles, 71, for the 'mistakes of the past'
- Camilla said their relationship is very different from what it was three years ago
Prince William has forgiven his father for the 'mistakes of the past' and has 'woken up to the fact Charles has been as much of a positive influence as Diana', a royal expert has claimed.
On Sunday a charming photo of the two future kings was released by Kate Middleton to mark her husband's 38th birthday and Father's Day.
The rare, candid snap shows the Duke of Cambridge, 38, pulling Charles, 71, in for a hug in Sandringham in December last year, and shows the new closeness between the pair.
According to Camilla Tominey, the intimate image marks 'an even more significant milestone in what hasn't always been an easy relationship'.
On Sunday a charming photo of the two future kings was released by Kate Middleton to mark her husband's 38th birthday and Father's Day. According to Camilla Tominey, the intimate image marks 'an even more significant milestone in what hasn't always been an easy relationship'
Writing in the Daily Telegraph today, she said: 'The warmth which so obviously zings between father and son seems to signify a laying to rest of the ghosts of William's childhood and any soreness he has felt towards his father after witnessing the traumatic fallout out of his parents' separation as a 10-year-old boy.
'Now a father-of-three in his late thirties, with Charles willingly playing the role of doting grandfather, there is a sense that William has not only forgiven him for the mistakes of the past, but also woken up to the fact his father has been as much of a positive influence as Diana, the late Princess of Wales.'
Camilla highlighted that William and Charles' relationship appears to be very different from what it was just three years ago, when the world paid tribute to the late Princess of Wales on the 20th anniversary of her death in a car crash in Paris.
She recalled how William was unwilling to acknowledge his father's role in his and his brother Prince Harry's upbringing after Diana died.
Royal expert Camilla said Prince William has forgiven his father for the 'mistakes of the past' and has 'woken up to the fact Charles has been as much of a positive influence as Diana'. Pictured: Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Diana and Prince William on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in June 1988
Charles' aides allegedly 'begged' his eldest son to pay tribute to his father when he spoke to journalists prior to the screening of the ITV documentary Diana, Our Mother: Her Life And Legacy in 2017 - but he refused.
It was a marked contrast to the warm tribute William paid to his father in a BBC documentary to mark his 70th birthday last year, in which he admitted he'd love him to be able to spend more time with his grandchildren, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, five, and Prince Louis, two.
He said: 'I think now he's reached his 70th year, it's a perfect time to consolidate a little bit because, as most families would do, you are worried about having them around and making sure their health is okay.
Royal author Penny Junor observed that the late Princess Diana 'shared an awful lot of her misery with William' (pictured together at Wimbledon in 1991)
'So, having more time with him at home would be lovely, and being able to, you know, play around with the grandchildren. When he's there, he's brilliant, but we need him there as much as possible.'
Royal author Penny Junor observed: 'Diana shared an awful lot of her misery with William. He knew that Camilla was the woman who caused her to be so unhappy - yet equally he knew that Camilla was the woman who made his father happy, so it was extremely difficult for him.'
In a subsequent BBC documentary in 2017, it was Harry, 35, who gave a nod to his father's support during the difficult period after his mother's death, revealing: 'He was there for us, he was the one out of two left and he tried to do his best and to make sure we were protected and looked after.'
Camilla told how Meghan Markle encouraged Harry to have a good relationship with his father - 'the only parent you have left'. The former actress bonded with Charles over their shared love of yoga and spiritual healing, and he walked her down the aisle when her own father didn't attend the Royal Wedding in May 2018.
Charles' aides allegedly 'begged' his eldest son to pay tribute to his father when he spoke to journalists prior to the screening of the ITV documentary Diana, Our Mother: Her Life And Legacy in 2017 - but he refused. Pictured: Prince Charles and Prince William in 2000
With a rift reportedly having developed between William and Harry in 2017 - believed to be as a result of the Duke of Cambridge advised his younger sibling to 'take things slow' when he first began dating Meghan in 2017, Camilla said Charles was put 'in the invidious position of having to play peacemaker to his warring sons'.
She added that when tensions arose between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the 'Firm', William and Charles bonded while working closely to 'insulate the monarchy from the a crisis which threatened to pitch the Sussexes in direct competition to the House of Windsor'.
The Prince of Wales began involving his eldest son more in his decision-making, which Camilla claims irked Harry who felt 'pushed out by their "away days" to Duchy of Cornwall estates'.
She added: 'He also resented William for what he perceived as "pulling rank". After all, it was Diana who insisted they be brought up as "equals".'
Royal expert Camilla said: 'Now a father-of-three in his late thirties, with Charles willingly playing the role of doting grandfather, there is a sense that William has not only forgiven him for the mistakes of the past, but also woken up to the fact his father has been as much of a positive influence as Diana, the late Princess of Wales.' Pictured: Prince Charles with his grandchildren Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, as well as the Cambridges, the Sussexes and his wife Camilla Parker Bowles
Meanwhile Vanity Fair's Katie Nicholl has revealed how Prince Charles has made an effort to factor more time with his family into his diary.
A source told the royal reporter hat Prince Charles and Prince William now have a bond 'built on love, affection and respect' and are 'on the same wavelength these days.'
The insider explained: 'You often hear [Charles] him talk of sovereignty and how they bond over this commitment to sovereignty.
'They will both be kings one day—and William’s oldest son will be king—and that is something that connects them and has brought them closer in recent years.'
Meanwhile Vanity Fair's Katie Nicholl explained that Prince Charles and Prince William have bonded over their shared sense of duty, with a source telling the reporter that the knowledge they will both be kings 'connects them'
Meanwhile another source added that the pair's relationship had evolved since Prince William had become a father.
They explained how their sense of duty 'unites them', adding: 'I think there was a time when Charles worried about William and whether he was ready for the role that lay ahead, but these days he has full confidence in William and sees that he has what it takes to be a great Prince of Wales and a future king.'
Weeks after the Royal Family released a New Year photograph of the Queen, Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince George, six, the Sussexes quit as senior members of the Firm - yet again pushing William and Charles closer together as crisis talks were held to hammer out their exit strategy.
Charles contracting and beating coronavirus is also likely to have served as a distressing wake-up call to William.
Another source added that the father and son's relationship had improved after Prince William married Kate Middleton and welcomed his own children
In April, the Duke of Cambridge said in a BBC News interview broadcast that he was 'worried' when he first learned his father had been diagnosed with COVID-19 because the virus is 'fairly risky' for someone of his age.
William admitted: 'I have to admit, at first I was quite concerned, he fits the profile of somebody, at the age he is at, which is fairly risky.'
He added of the Queen and Prince Philip: 'Obviously I think very carefully about my grandparents - who are the age they're at, we're doing everything we can to make sure that they're isolated away and protected from this.'
Earlier this month, royal expert Katie Nicholl claimed William would be 'upset' at not being able to see his extended family on his birthday.
Prince William pictured with his children in a sweet photograph taken by wife Kate and shared to mark his 38th birthday last weekend
She told Ok! Magazine: 'I know that William has told his friends that he's loved spending so much time with the children in lockdown, but that's been coupled with the sadness that he's not seeing his father.
'Charles and William have become much closer in recent years. In fact, I've been told by someone who knows them both very well that William has had something of a mind shift.
'Where the notion of becoming king one day used to overwhelm him, he's now more than ready and has found common ground with his father in that. Their destiny is something that now connects them.'
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