One of the things that bothered me in the run-up to Kate Middleton and Prince William’s wedding was that the British and American tabloids were trying to stir up trouble between Camilla Parker-Bowles (the Duchess of Cornwall) and Kate. I tended to believe that while Camilla might not be Kate’s favorite person in the world, Kate is totally polite to her de facto mother-in-law. Now it’s looking like they’re super-close, though. Camilla gave Kate a charm bracelet (seen in these photos) and Kate has been wearing that thing EVERYWHERE.
C is for Catherine, Cambridge and Camilla! A new charm bracelet that Kate has been wearing recently is a gift from her mother-in-law Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
Kate, 29, was seen with it prominently dangling from her right wrist when she applauded tennis player Andy Murray at Wimbledon Monday and the previous Saturday, when she and Prince William attended a ceremony with the Irish Guards.
On her left hand, of course, rests Princess Diana’s sapphire engagement ring. But it is the newer piece of jewelry, believed to be a wedding present, that’s intriguing royal watchers.
The charm hanging from the bracelet has Kate’s new cypher of a “C” with a curl on one side, and Camilla’s cypher of a “C” below a crown is on the other.
A Palace source confirms to PEOPLE that it was a gift, but wouldn’t say more because it’s “personal.”
[From People]
British sources say that the bracelet was a “personal wedding gift” from Camilla to Kate, but they also note that Kate seems to have two versions of the bracelet, one in yellow gold and one in either white gold or silver. Here’s a question: is it somehow weird to give your daughter-in-law (step-daughter-in-law) a bracelet with YOUR initial and her initial? If it was a wedding gift, wouldn’t it have been more selfless and giving to give her something with Kate’s initial and William’s initial? While I appreciate that Camilla is getting along with Kate, it just seems like it’s overly familiar or somehow too much. I don’t know, though. Maybe it’s completely normal.
Photos courtesy of WENN & Pacific Coast News.
I never bought the previous story about how Kate couldn’t stand Camilla to begin with, but I’m glad they’re close. I would guess the initial thing is a bond between women who have married into the same tough family; kind of a “Don’t forget, I’ve got your back” kind of thing.
Kate seems happy with it so it’s all good.
I just noticed that she doesn’t have a wedding band… is it not customary in the UK?
Very sweet. I’m glad for them both that they are friends.
Yes, that is weird! Why would you give anyone anything with your own initials.
As far as the sentiment of wearing a gift from Camilla. Meh. I have a gift which I love from my fil whom I did not! and gifts I don’t like at all from Mom, who I treasure. Sometimes you get better ‘ stuff’ from secret Santa than your own children. It’s just stuff.
I do not get charm bracelets on grown women
@RobN I agree – I think it’s definitely a show of support from Camilla to Kate.
I don’t think it’s odd – it’s almost like a friendship bracelet. If Pippa had given her a P and C bracelet, nobody would think anything of it.
Where do i get that polka dot dress?
But Pippa is her BLOOD SISTER, S. Very very different.
Whatevs. Illuminati serpents. Incidentally, she and William are 12th cousins but somewhere down the line everybody is related somehow.
Margot: she’s wearing a small gold wedding band but its so thin you can barely see it underneath the giant saphire 🙂
I think the bracelet is awesome and I hope they are good friends.
It’s lovely & sweet. End of story.
I think it’s really sweet! The relationship between mother in law and daughter in law is so important.
I’ll play ‘Devil’s Advocate’ with you, Kaiser. Perhaps Camilla’s gift was an attempt to ‘One Up’ Diana’s sapphire ring and more notably, her current position as mother-in-law, albeit ‘step’.
The Brits and the rest of the world may have finally warmed up to the Duchess of Cornwall, but I tend to believe she enjoys a feeling of relief knowing Diana is out of the picture.
It’s a lovely bracelet. Don’t think it means much other than she has a close relationship with her step-mother-in-law. It’s nice.
I *hate* Camilla. End of story.
That is strange – the bracelet has camilla’s initial? I find this difficult to believe.
Only they know what it means. That’s what makes it so special. Kate really is a very pretty girl.
As a wedding present? Your initial and your mother-in-law’s initial? That doesn’t seem sweet, just weird. Maybe for a different occasion… Nope. Still weird.
Camilla is an overrated HAG who sticks her teeth into everything around Charles…………
boring.
could you please stop talking about katie holmes and kate middleton at all? thanks.
Actually, the “C” under the crown matches the avatar image Kate’s using on her Twitter. Perhaps that’s her official “brand” now?
Seems a bit self indulgent of Camilla to me. A more appropriate wedding gift might be William’s cipher and Kate’s on each side, while a nice birthday gift would be a bracelet with Kate and Camilla’s ciphers on either side. Just me. I think wedding gifts should be about the wedding, not your mother in law.
Maybe it’s two “C”‘s for Catherine & Cambridge. Or hey, maybe Catherine FINALLY got the CROWN (from one waity to another). It could be a giant HAHA at everyone. Who knows? It’s probably not standing for Camilla and Catherine.
Camilla is absolutely hideous. I never understand why she is always trying to make sure she is in photos when she has to know no one wants to see her or her ugly husband. I hate to be mean but besides William and Harry the Windsors are an ugly bunch and I don’t know why people care about them so much.
Herh. Didn’t Camilla give Charles a pair of cufflinks with entwined “C’s” on them around the time of his marriage which Diana discovered? Hmmm….the unconscious works in mysterious ways. Waity of course is going to show it off. Until the diamonds.
I see the gift more as one from the future Princess Consort to the future Queen Waity, an entwining of destinies. I like Camilla now, she sounds like fun. Waity, not so much.
ETA: @searching4grace: You’re explanation sounds spot on.
Coming from Camilla, I don’t think most things are “weird”. I mean, she’s Camilla. I wouldn’t say Kate is “close” with her, but I’m sure she is very polite, and showing Camilla a bit of respect and appreciation. This girl knows how to act around the royals.
A sweet gesture of acceptance into the family. William deserves a happy family life and it’s nice to see that his new wife and his father’s wife are friendly to each other.
Dont know if Witchy is truly trying to be a nice step mother and helping Kate thru ups and downs of being a royal or if she is kissing ass because she knows the public loves Kate like they did Diana and she wants to be viewed better in public eye.
Camilla isnt dumb and knows Kate holds alot of power now and she would want to be in her good graces for sure.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2009415/Kate-Middletons-favourit-charm-bracelet-present-Camilla.html
In that article, you can see both sides of the bracelet. Both “C”‘s are under a crown, even though the font for the C is different on both sides. Perhaps a nod to the fact that they both might be Queen one day? Who knows. I think it’s a bit odd myself but still a very nice gesture. The bracelet Diana was wearing in those pics yesterday where William was a baby seemed to have an acorn hanging off it? Wonder what that symbolism was for her?
Wait. Not both Queens because Camilla can’t be Queen right? Perhaps then that they will both be married to Kings? Or that they will both own crowns or something. ;0)
How do we know the C’s don’t stand for Catherine and Cambridge? Is Kate a Catherine or a Katherine?
Perhaps the C’s stand for commoners?
I think it would have made Diana very sad to see Kate being quite so tight with Camilla. It is a difficult situation of course (and imagine how difficult if Diana was still alive) but any mother’s heart would hurt if they saw their daughter in law being “buddy buddy” with their former husband’s mistress.
I think it’s wonderful that they seem to get along so well. I never believed the tabloids during the wedding hype. I’m glad Kate is getting a lot of support from the family.
Well, if she’d given her a bracelet with the happy couple’s initials, the letters would have been WC. That would have taken the “piss” and been a “shit” bracelet. 😉
It was how Princess Diana found out about Royal Creep Charles affair with Her Highness Royal Piece of $#-*Camilla….
Camilla gave Charles cufflinks with the same signia and he wore them on his wedding day to Our Royal Highness Princess Diana and thereafter.
Its Camillas the Royal Disgrace of Society…way of showing claw-ownership.
Shes as classless as ever and every negative thing said on this blog in reference to Camilla is true.
Margot: She does have a wedding band, but it’s yellow gold and slim. Pretty much non existent next to that gorgeous sapphire.
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