This week has been full of stories about the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s move to the Windsor Castle Estate, where they’ve been given the “modest” Adelaide Cottage. Folded into that announcement was this note about the Cambridge kids: they’ll be enrolled “at a private co-educational school in the county that is also home to the duchess’s parents, the Middletons, in Bucklebury, a 45-minute drive from Windsor Castle.” The Cambridge children are being moved out of London and sent closer to Carole Middleton. And if you think Kate is going to make a 45-minute daily school commute there and back, I have a bridge to sell you. While there is so much justifiable gossip about how the move signals a quiet separation between William and Kate, the move also signals that the Cambridge children are going to be brought up as full Middletons in Bucklebury.
I bring this up because the fact that the children are more closely aligned with the Middletons has always bugged Prince Charles. When George and Charlotte were very small, Charles had to publicly shame William and Kate for never allowing him to spend time with his grandchildren. Over time – and with the Sussexit – Charles has seen more of the Cambridge kids, but those kids still spend way more time with Carole. All of which to say, I found this story curiously worded and curiously timed:
Prince Charles’ sweet bond with his grandson Prince Louis was on full display during Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations earlier this month. At the Platinum Jubilee Pageant on June 5, 4-year-old Prince Louis went viral for his adorable antics, from making faces at mom Kate Middleton to excitedly dancing around while watching the parade pass by in front of Buckingham Palace.
At one point, Prince Louis took turns sitting on the laps of Kate and Prince William before heading over to his grandfather. Prince Charles, 73, bounced Louis on his lap and pointed out elements of the parade.
“How utterly charming that was,” a palace insider tells PEOPLE. “When you consider that he has been said to be a remote parent, to see him do that was charming.”
The source adds that although it is often said that Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, are the grandparents the children are close to (and they certainly spent a lot of time with them), “it was lovely to see his other grandfather enjoying time with him too.”
I don’t know how much time Louis actually spent with Charles at the Jubbly pageant, but I know Charles basically had to take him for a little bit because his mother couldn’t handle his very public tantrum. And to be fair, Louis was a lot calmer with Charles although the kid was still overstimulated and likely exhausted and acting out because of it. Anyway, I hope Charles enjoyed that brief moment because now that the kids are moving to Windsor/Bucklebury, he’s barely going to see them. Carole Middleton will be their main influence. And this “palace insider” knows it too.
One more notable thing: we still have no idea if Charles saw his “other” grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet, during the Jubbly. The idea that Charles didn’t bother making time for those two kids breaks my heart, honestly. Diana would be so disgusted with how Charles has treated her grandchildren.
Photos courtesy of Instar.
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- Not Available For Publication In The UK – London, UK -20220605- The Platinum Jubilee Celebrations Final Day -PICTURED: Prince William, Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Prince Louis -PHOTO by: John Rainford/Cover Images/INSTARimages.com -51635038.jpg This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded
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- Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, points something out to Prince Louis during the Platinum Pageant on June 05, 2022 in London, England. The Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II is being celebrated from June 2 to June 5, 2022, in the UK and Commonwealth to mark the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952.,Image: 697156197, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Ian Vogler / Avalon
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- Not Available For Publication In The UK – London, UK -20220605- The Platinum Jubilee Celebrations Final Day -PICTURED: Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Prince Louis -PHOTO by: John Rainford/Cover Images/INSTARimages.com -51635039.jpg This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded
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- Not Available For Publication In The UK – London, UK -20220605- The Platinum Jubilee Celebrations Final Day -PICTURED: Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Louis, Prince Charles, Princess Anne -PHOTO by: John Rainford/Cover Images/INSTARimages.com -51635040.jpg This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded
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- North America Rights Only, London, England – 20220603- National Service of Thanksgiving On Day Two Of The Platinum Jubilee Celebrations -PICTURED: Prince Charles -PHOTO by: PA Images/INSTARimages.com -67258493 Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
It wasn’t a spontaneous move on Louis’s part – you could see William asking Charles for permission beforehand. Everything they do is so orchestrated and subject to protocol.
Agreed. See also: The Middleton grandparents were there, but Willnot made sure to give Chuck a photo op.
So the kids are going to private school?
Both William and Harry went to private school. It would have been very strange if they went to state schools. People of that class simply don’t do that.
So Charles is fine being photographed with the fully white grandkids. Liz too.
Got it. Totally not a racist family.
Mostly with the male grandchildren. I have yet to see a picture of him interacting with Charlotte.
Which is odd since Charles desperately wanted a girl and was pissed when Diana had another boy.
I noticed that too. He released one on one photos with both Louis and George. Never one with Charlotte. Charlotte even was placed on the other side of a family portrait separate from her parents and brothers and CHarles interacted with the male children only.
Once again, this is Kate pushing her own narrative. George (and probably Louis) will go to Eton just like the rest of them. It’s a fantasy to think the kids get to stay home with Kate. After all, if the kids go to boarding school, what will be her excuse for not working??
The only reason George may very well not got to England is allegedly William did not like his boarding school education (something that was reported in his very early 20s) and there’s no tradition of the royals attending Eton. They were home educated and then Philip picked Gordonstoun. Diana chose Eton. Her family did have a tradition of the men attending Eton. Also, frankly – I don’t think William’s spoiled, coddled children can compete at Eton. Lord known he couldn’t. You’re going to see this generation of royals and royal adjacent chose the second tier schools that allow rich brats to be cream of the crop without trying, not Eton/Oxford/Cambridge.
Attacking a children abilities, particularly ones you’ve never met, is really gross.
Most of the other students at Eton come from the same kind of spoiled, coddled backgrounds. I expect they’ll do just fine there. All schools like that are 80% mediocre legacies who coast on the reputation of intelligence and talent of the other 20%, many of whom are scholarship students.
Boris Johnson was a successful Etonian. I don’t think the bar is that high.
It’s not an attack, it’s an astute observation. When the wealthy upperclass can’t compete, they just change the game. Look at how the Devos family decided to destroy public education bc their kids weren’t able to compete and get into colleges even with large donations. Bulliam couldn’t ever compete with his peers so he was propped up rather than forced to step up.
That’s quite a take. But the truth is the DeVos’ decades-long campaign against public education is driven by the fact that they are right wing Christian nationalists who don’t believe in government spending for the greater good.
@MeganC the white Royals are also right wing Christian nationalists who don’t believe on government spending for a greater good, so…what is your point?…
Eton starts at 13. Rumour is they’re going to Lambrook. Then I’d expect George to go to Eton (and eventually Louis) and Charlotte to go to Marlborough.
I agree with this. George goes to Eton because that’s where the toffs go now, and he will need their support in future, so better to form those bonds in the present.
I was wondering when is Charles gonna milk that
Probably his next birthday post.
Lol it reminds me of those internet dads. They dont see or help much with their kids and when they rarely have them,they have to do a photoshoot and post pics on insta.
I love how he was referred to as ‘the other grandfather’, in the same way William is ‘the other brother’. As though they were inconsequential. You’d think he’d have been referred to, at least once in the article, as the next King of England, but no–he’s the other grandfather.
And I’m sure it escaped no one’s notice that’s little Louis’ disrespectful behavior toward his mother is being referred to as ‘adorable antics’.
@ BeanieBean, Louis’ antics were those of a normal 4 yo who was forced to sit through an entire performance that he had no ability to sit through. As usual, they are trying to gloss over the fact that Louis should not have attended the event in the first place. But Cain and Unable are still trying to preserve their picture “perfect” family narrative.
As for Cain withholding his children from Charles, this tells me all I need to know about him. Someone that is intent on inflicting emotional pain is not a man of character nor one that should rule The Monarchy one day. Cain is a bully through and through. Now Charles will never see the Lambridge children as CarolE will get her hooks into them and never let go. I feel so bad for those kids.
(The internet was lost in our entire area for 2+ hours)
I could see the picture of them that includes Camilla looking on smiling, being his Christmas card picture this year.
Not sure what to make of this. Charles didn’t seem to be a doting grandpa when Archie was around before, or when the kids visited for the Jubbly. Maybe he’s only interested in the grandchildren who are white.
Roya Nikkah, commenting on H&M’s procession up the aisle at the service of thanksgiving said, “As someone close to TQ said recently, nothing happens by chance”. This happy family moment as it’s being promoted did not happen by chance. It was clearly a quid pro quo deal between William and Charles.
That picture with Princess Ann, her son, Scottish mistress with the crooked face, and the lady behind her all giving Louis the side eye…..shades of things to come when he comes of age.
The “lady behind” is the wife of Jamaica governor general (thought he looked familiar). Apparently Mrs. Allen fell asleep several times during the pagent while sitting behind Charles and it was caught on TV. LOL forever.
Well, Anne needs to cool it because one of her Tindall granddaughters (older than Louis) was behaving badly also.
And her son in law.
Noted. Aunty Anne does not appear by Louis’ “antics.”
As an aside, the Spencer genes gave W & H chins, which neither Anne nor Chuck had. Does anyone else think Chuck ever got a chin implant? Compare pics of him now & 40 years ago. Ears & noses grow with age but not chins.
If Charles did meet Archie and Lili, it would’ve been all over the papers. I don’t think Charles has any interest in these children and perhaps Harry doesn’t want them around him either.
Agreed. I remember reading some years ago that Charles really doesn’t like children very much and that was partly why he and Camilla live in separate residences because she loves having her family around (including grandchildren) and she’s more normal – grandkids playing and being rambunctious/informal etc.
I really don’t think Charles has grandfatherly feelings and they’re too far down the line of succession and too far away to be useful to him.
It’s sad to say but I’m not too surprised Charles hasn’t met or doesn’t seem as invested in meeting/spending time with Archie and Lili. Remember he was the one brought up by courtiers and The Queen Mother who always showed favouritism and emphasized the importance of the heir. I don’t think Charles has suddenly changed, this is who he his. He had the chance over the last year to visit H&M (he made trips to Canada) but I don’t think he’ll ever visit them in Montecito in a private capacity. Charles’ focus is Camilla and The Crown. Anything that doesn’t mesh well with either of those things falls by the wayside.
BREAKING NEWS -Prince Charles Behaves Like Human Being For First Time
The forever beleaguered Prince of Wales was able to finally drum up some positive press last week when he was caught on camera behaving exactly as one would expect a human adult to behave around their own grandchild. Said a source, ‘I was bowled over. Who knew the older robot models were programmed to simulate affection like that?’ When asked if they thought we might see a similar photo taken with one or both of Harry’s children the source was too busy laughing to comment. AP
Exactly. Pretty sad that these people are praised to the skies for acting like human beings. Most Homo sapiens enjoy cuddling the young of their species.
@A Thanks for the giggle! It’s a great way to start the day (and coffee) 😆😆
That’s kind of you! Thanks!
LOL! Well done.
LOL
It’s weird to me that no one ever points at how odd it is that Charles somehow can’t take a flight to California and spend a few days with H&M’s kids. Would that really be such a big deal? Surely, he can make a trip like that in a private capacity. Or would it be too much logistically?
It’s entirely possible Harry and Meghan don’t want him to visit because they can’t trust him. Or, I could totally see Charles suggesting a visit, but only if could milk it PR wise and release pictures and set the narrative. Maybe even asking to bring his own photographers. And the Sussex’s told him no.
I’d be shocked if Charles ever wanted to visit any of his grandchildren in a completely private capacity. He always wants to leverage those moments.
The thing is I don’t recall Charles even talking about the Sussex children recently. I don’t recall, Did he wish Lili a happy birthday?
@TALIE No it’s not too much, these people do and go wherever they want in a private capacity. I suspect it’s more of an ego thing on his part, as the regent. I know plenty of grandparents who act like that and they’re not even heirs to any throne. He expects his son to make all the effort and bring his grandchildren to him.
What’s weirder is that no one from the RR is pointing out the fact that C didn’t bother to visit his biracial grandchildren when they were on his home turf.
We don’t know for certain that he didn’t meet the Sussex grandchildren. If he did he probably agreed not to discuss it or leak about it. I can see H&M making that request
@one of the marys – I agree with you 100%. I cannot believe that future Chucky III did not see Archie and Lili when they were in England for the Jubbly Carnival.
Exactly. We don’t know if Charles met Archie and Lilibet. Perhaps all parties agreed to keep things quiet. If Clarence House had leaked a story about a meeting, people on here would have been complaining about that too.
Charles doesn’t have to fly anywhere – the kids were right there in the UK two weekends ago.
I’m not sure the royals are allowed to do things “in a private capacity” really, isn’t that why Meghan and Harry had to leave? I I imagine the logistics of such a visit would be pretty significant, his security detail must be massive.
W&K & the kids went to Jordan last year in a private capacity. Of course it’s doable. I’m trying to remember, though, if we’ve ever heard of Charles just going somewhere out of the UK for vacay. I don’t think so. He & Diana did early in their marriage, but I don’t recall anything at a later time. Then again, I’m sure they’re good at stealth travel.
Charles would go on painting holidays to Tuscany. Regular private visits to Romania and Iceland.
As someone who has toxic parents and moved across the country to be as far away as possible, I have to deal with them because they are my parents. But what I get to do as a parent for my children, is shield them from my mom and dad. My parents have never met my children and my children know why they have not met my parents. I hope that is what they are doing. My parents have no rights to my children. Now Kate might want to be careful because the ruler can take possession of the heir, right?!?
Omg trying to give that old crank a medal for Grampa of the Year…
Cams looks like beef jerky in a suit.
OMG!!!! Beef Jerky In A Suit! Spot on southern fried!
The Middletons are deluded if they think the House of Windsor will allow them to mold the heir. Charles and William will snatch that boy back for heir-to-the-kingdom “training.”
George’s ‘molding’ is already complete. A personality’s core traits are set by the age of 6 or 7. I don’t mean to dog on any child… but wish good luck to the UK and commonwealth as I don’t see anything to look forward to for the next 3 generations of the throne. Charlotte would have made a better heir. If only the Windsors could change this whole primogeniture nonsense, and allow the monarch to choose his/her next heir like other royals do, a lot of their generational problems would be solved.
Lol, the education of the heir is what I’m calling molding. Personality may be set, but not values or biases.
Hopefully Nanny Maria has instilled good values in these kids. It’s really their only shot, IMO, and a thin one at that.
And monarchs choosing their own successors hasn’t always been ideal in the past, when kings would skip over sons for grandsons, or nephews, etc. due to their own preferences.
Didn’t William have a nanny and his mother? Stop putting this all on the nanny.
Diana fired the nanny (who had been extremely close to W&H) when William was four and Harry two, with no opportunity to say goodbye. I am no William apologist, but that was a very cruel thing to do to a 4yo child.
Charles sent this out as a photo op apparently right away. HE is about Image. Same thing as when he escorted Meghan down the aisle something visual to show Charles as “great father in law” and “great father” but he never followed up. When Harry and Meghan really needed him, he was not there. A grandfather would be anxious to see his grandchildren, all of them. I don’t know if he even saw both his Sussex grandchildren recently. He could have visited them. He seems to be more interested in George having those photo ops with him. I never saw him release a one on one photograph with Charlotte, but just with George and Louis.
Also, I saw video that showed Charlotte giving Louis the thumbs up when he went to sit on Charles lap. If this was planned, it is heartbreaking that a 7 year old already knows the importance of a photo op. This is one strange family. Although, you can’t really expect them to be “normal” when adults have to show deference to children because of their rank by birth. It has to be weird for the Cambridge kids to get all the preferential treatment and everyone else just falls in line. This should be a question for Kate’s early year’s survey. How does being told/shown you are better than others at an early age affect your future outcome? How does being told/shown you are less than others at an early age affect your future outcome? Bet they don’t want to touch on this.
A grandfather would also be the first one screaming about his grandson being compared to a chimpanzee, right? Oh, wait! I forgot! This is Charles we’re talking about.
Not just a grandfather but future King too.
Wait a minute – so do we think Kate is moving back in with her parents along with her non boarding school children and Adelaide Cottage will be their AirBnB when Windsor is necessary to pretend they have a marriage?
That sounds about right. Otherwise, 3 hours commuting daily for people with all the options in the world is ridiculous. They would have to get up so early every morning to get there on time, then they’ll be exhausted at night. These are people who don’t actually need or value education at all. Couple that with how lazy Kate is, there’s no way she’s living that far away. They’re definitely living with her parents. Adelaide is for show.
Charles also could have arranged a photo op with ALL of his grandchildren. But he did not. A missed opportunity. IT was odd that in the last one, Charlotte was placed on the other side and Charles interacted with the male Cambridge children only.
Couldn’t Charles have posed with all the Cambridge children? William sent Louis over to sit on CHarles’ lap. But why not show Charles interacting with all three of them.
So is the new school in Windsor and 45mins from Buckleberry (the Middleton House)? Or is the new school in Buckleberry 45mins from Windsor? If it’s in Buckleberry those kids are all boarding
My son and many others had a 1-hour commute on the school bus, each way, for 4 years. When you live rural, the school bus trip is a long one. Plus, it’s not like Kate will be driving them.
When Charles is on tours and appearances he has the habit of Pointing. Even with Louis on his lap he has to go in for pointing at something.
They all do that pointing stuff. I find it weird, as I’m not a pointer myself. I think I learned somewhere early on that pointing was rude or something. Pointing at people, that is.
Princess Anne apparently was not amused. I wonder what she said to Charles.
Of course, Prince Charles is filling in for this mother in an official capacity, not the nanny. Especially with the child’s parents there.
It is apparent why Princess Anne will feel a certain way.
@Tessa the expression on Anne’s face was priceless
There was a story where the Sussexes returned to CA the paps scanned the plane and noticed a swing was taken off the cargo section. The story was it looked like a similar gift Charles gave to one of the Cambridge kids. When the Cambridges come to the US questions will be asked by US reporters have they met the kids during the Jubilee and did they a birthday gift to Lili?
Middleton puppet joined one of his puppeteers to manipulate his father into manufactured images, to score brownie points against his more accomplished brother.
Prince Harry inherited his status by accident of birth, but had since grown into his position in spite of obstacles and especially negativity like envy and jealousy.
Since Harry and Meghan are protective of the privacy of their children and don’t want them public, it is likely that any photos of the Queen or Charles with Archie and Lili will be kept private. I don’t know if we can read into the lack of photos as a sign that Charles never saw them. After all the leaks have been coming from KP, not CH.
Princess Anne did not appear amused at Louis’ antics.
Julia K, it doesn’t look like her son sitting behind her is amused either.
Why didn’t William take his own son into his lap when Kate was having trouble with Louis? Charles doesn’t look any too thrilled sitting with the little boy either. Probably Charles and William are annoyed with Kate for not doing her “woman’s work,” looking after the children. After all, she is an Early Years Expert (no qualifications, solely in her own mind).
Don’t you know that flogging party hats (part time) practically qualifies you as Children’s Tzar these days.
The fact that Charles was dubbed “the other grandfather” makes me feel this is a Buttons/CarolE plant. That “other brother” title had to rankle William, so if he instigated a separation, I can see her putting this out as a dig to them both: “I’m doing everything quietly, but let me not get my way it you do one thing to compliment Meghan and you’ll never see MY PARENTS’ GRANDCHILDREN again,” etc.
Trying to feel interest in the subject of Charles’ Granpa PR & the Cambridges move, but I don’t really care. It’s their soap opera. Some notes: I dont think we see any of the time Charles spends with his grandchildren. There were stories that he and George garden together at Highgrove or something, and we’ve never seen pictures of that. Who knows? And maybe the olive branch CH extended to the Sussexes ahead of the Jubilee included face time with the kids. Again who knows?
Two things stand out. Not only will Kate not traverse the distance back and forth to Buckleberry every day; the kids won’t either. So there’s more there whether due to separation or not. I consider the following:
Assumption of the work of the Duchy of Cornwall will be a HUGE drain on William’s time no matter how he organizes his life. 135,000 acres of land, huge investment portfolio, sizeable development projects, all managed through offices in London. Cornwall. Devon. Somerset,. Hereford. Dorset and the Isles of Scilly (see wiki). Depending on the degree to which Kate joins Will in this work, even for the travel required, one or both of them are going to be away from the kids a lot more than they are now. As King, I dont see Charles having the time to pay frequent in-person attention as doting grandfather, either, even if he wants to. So, the Middletons play a huge role in the next phase of Will’s advancement,& Kate & the kids are set up to camp out in Buckleberry as often as she wants. She and Will? Again, who knows? Their soap opera.
LRob, Why do you think William will “assume” the work of the Duchy when he’s never worked a day in his life? Work is incompatible to his nature. He’ll assign minions, is my thought, and rake in the money, sending it to offshore accounts, etc. Some money will have to stay in England, but the largest share will be pilfered by William. Who does the accounting, anyway? My prediction: William will do no work and get the rewards anyway, just as he has done for the rest of his almost 40 years. People don’t change at 40, especially if they don’t want to and Will doesn’t. That’s my opinion.
Will probably have staff doing most of the work on the duchy he may like controlling funds but he never seemed all that interested I do not think Will will change all that much with his promotion