On day two of Royal Ascot, Charles and Carole were seen laughing and enjoying the day together in the royal suite, leaving fans delighted to catch a glimpse into their unique bond
As Royal Ascot continues, the royal family and their closest inner circles have made appearances at the Berkshire racecourse, marvelling in the spectacle of the horse races and the social event of the season.
While many key royal figures have been seen both in the royal procession and the royal suite each day since Ascot began earlier this week, fans were delighted to see Carole Middleton – Princess Kate’s mother – taking part in the day on Wednesday, despite the fact that Kate dropped out from attending in the final hour.
Although Kate wasn’t at the event, that didn’t stop Carole from mingling with the royal family and having a jolly time at the races, as she was spotted having a laugh with King Charles and giving her son-in-law Prince William a hug.
While Carole and the wider Middleton family are often invited to major royal events, such as King Charles’ coronation in 2023, it is rare to see them in a fun social setting having a laugh together.
Since Charles and Carole were spotted chatting and laughing in the royal suite, dozens of royal fans have all remarked on their relationship, and how lovely it is that they seem to have such a close bond.
One fan wrote on X: “It’s lovely to see them together,” while another person added: “Love that they have a lovely warm relationship.” A third royal fan commented: “So nice to see. Good that they all get along so well.”
Someone else wrote: “I love that when they’re together, they’re just in-laws. He’s the King, but he’s also her daughter’s father-in-law and they share grandkids.”
Prince William was also seen during the day giving a hug to his mother-in-law, seemingly confirming that the pair have always shared a close relationship, with William becoming as much part of the Middleton family as Kate has become part of the Royal Family.
Carole Middleton still attended the second day of Royal Ascot, despite the fact that her daughter Kate pulled out of the event , less than two hours before she was due to appear in the royal procession alongside Prince William.
Kate’s sudden absence surprised many people, given the fact that her name had already been printed in the day two programme and shared by the Royal Ascot social media accounts. However, the Palace soon clarified that Kate’s non-attendance at the event was the result of a “miscommunication”.
A spokesperson for Kensington Palace said: “We notified Ascot that Her Royal Highness would not be attending. Unfortunately an inaccurate version of the carriage list was issued in error after that notification. The correct list was then circulated.” The Prince and Princess of Wales are not expected to attend any further days of the festival.
It is understood that the reason behind Kate’s absence stems from her trying to find the right balance as she fully returns to public-facing engagements, just months after she announced her cancer was in remission.