Kate Middleton still seems to be working on finding a balance after returning to work following her battle with cancer last year, and sometimes, that means missing out on royal events. Last week, Kate pulled out of the Royal Ascot at the last minute, likely to catch up on her rest after a full weekend of fulfilling her princess duties – understandably, given everything she’s been through. But apparently, her father-in-law may not have been very understanding, despite facing a cancer diagnosis of his own.
The news that Kate was unable to make it came as a surprise.
She was originally expected to attend the Royal Ascot last week, with the event’s official social media accounts sharing a carriage lineup that included Kate and husband Prince William riding in a carriage with King Charles and Camilla.
But hours before the event took place, Kate pulled out, and the carriage setup had to change. It wasn’t clear at first why she decided to stay home – especially because William and her mother, Carole Middleton, did attend – but it seemed to be because she needed to take a break for her health.
“There is a perception in some quarters that Kate just doesn’t like racing and so didn’t make the effort,” a former royal staffer told The Daily Beast. “That is probably not fair, but you have to wonder if she would have missed Wimbledon, which she adores.”
The way she pulled out of the event may have made Charles feel ‘disrespected.’
The staffer went on to say that while it’s all well and good for Kate to put her health first, the way the cancellation unfolded “makes the king look disrespected.”
“Would she have dared miss Ascot at a moment’s notice when the queen was alive?” the source asked. “Her late Majesty would have been not best pleased to have the great honor of a coveted place in the carriage procession rejected an hour before kickoff on slightly vague grounds.”
The way the situation was handled may have been botched.
“Clearly, Kate wasn’t feeling up to it, but there is no denying that the whole affair was badly handled,” the insider shared. “You can’t blame their office as they are the last to know, William and Kate make their own decisions on their own time, which is another source of frustration to everyone else trying to steer the tanker. They pulled the plug at the last minute.”
The current rumor is that it all came down to a “bureaucratic error” and that the first carriage lineup should never have been posted … but still, it did end up looking a bit messy.
However, one insider believes Charles may have been more understanding of her choice than that.
After all, Kate isn’t a stranger – this is Charles’ daughter-in-law we’re talking about. And with Charles undergoing treatment for cancer himself, a friend of his told The Daily Beast that he would have understood why Kate needed to skip out this time.
“Charles is a very thoughtful and considerate man. He is going through cancer himself so he will be entirely understanding,” the friend said. “He knows all about good days and bad days, physically and mentally.”
The person added, “Charles has been very insistent that the show must go on, come hell or high water. Kate and William tackle their public duties differently, which is their privilege, for now. Charles has been very clear that he supports their decisions.”
