King Charles’ little known role in William and Kate’s wedding revealed as close bond with Princess of Wales is strengthened through their respective battles with cancer
King Charles has always had a close relationship Prince William and Kate
He even played a little known role in choosing the music for their wedding
King Charles has always had a close relationship with his son and daughter-in-law with the monarch said to have got even closer to the Princess of Wales due to their shared cancer diagnosis.
But many royal watchers are unaware of the role Charles played in the royal nuptials, more than ten years ago.
As the father of the groom, then-Prince Charles played an instrumental role in the 2011 Royal wedding, and even chose the wedding music.
00:04
02:24
Charles leaned on his knowledge of classical music in making his choices, he revealed to Alan Titchmarsh on Classic FM in 2020.
He said: ‘I love trying to organise some interesting, I hope, pieces of music for certain occasions, particularly for weddings if people want.
‘I know my eldest son was quite understanding and was perfectly happy for me to suggest a few pieces for their wedding.’
+7
View gallery
King Charles has always had a close relationship with his son Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, and he played an extra special part in their 2011 wedding
+7
View gallery
As the father of the groom, Prince Charles played an instrumental role in the 2011 Royal wedding, but the then-Duke of Cornwall went above and beyond that role in choosing some of the music
+7
View gallery
For William and Kate’s nuptials at Westminster Abbey, guests arrived to organ music by Johann Sebastian Bach and orchestral pieces by Edward Elgar, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and more
For William and Kate’s nuptials at Westminster Abbey, guests arrived to organ music by Johann Sebastian Bach and orchestral pieces by Edward Elgar, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and more.
The couple chose ‘Farewell to Stromness’, ‘Touch Her Soft Lips and Part’ and ‘Romance for String Orchestra Op. 11’ as a nod to Charles and Camilla, then-Duchess of Cornwall, as the songs were played at their 2005 wedding.
Charles added that he hoped his recommendations ‘gave some people pleasure’, saying that he, for one, did enjoy it.
The King got his passion for classical music from the Queen Mother, his grandmother.
He fondly recalled: ‘My grandmother used to play quite a bit of music, so I would hear something there.
‘But I suspect the first time I really became aware of it was being taken by my grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, to Covent Garden aged seven, I think.
He recalls a particular event which made him fall in love with classical music.
‘It must have been in 1956 to see the Bolshoi Ballet perform.
‘It was their first visit to the United Kingdom and I shall never forget that incredible occasion. I was completely inspired by it.’
+7
View gallery
Charles and Kate (seen at the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2022) now sadly share a shared experience of cancer
The wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, at that time, was one of 2011’s biggest events and was declared a bank holiday, with some 26 million people tuning in to watch.
The ratings were only beaten by the groom’s mother and father, Princess Diana and Charles, which pulled in 28.4 million viewers 30 years earlier.
After the 2011 ceremony, the newly married couple travelled in a horse-drawn carriage procession to Buckingham Palace and were greeted along the streets by members of the public.
The newlyweds also appeared on the balcony at Buckingham Palace alongside the late Queen and other members of the Royal Family.
From then, Prince William’s full title became the Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus, while Kate became Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge.
They are now the Prince and Princess of Wales and their relationship to the Prince’s father is becoming stronger than ever after both his and Kate’s shock cancer diagnoses since the turn of the year.
The Princess of Wales was inspired to reveal hers after the warm response to the King doing the same six weeks earlier, royal insiders have claimed.
It is said to have ‘cemented’ their relationship, 13 years on from Kate’s formal introduction to the Royal Family.
Both senior royals were at the London Clinic for operations at the same time in January, before both receiving a diagnosis in February – although Kate delayed her announcement a month further to tell her and William’s children at the right time.
Kate and Charles’ joint scares hammer home the message from her announcement that cancer sufferers ‘are not alone’.
Speaking about why Kate decided to go public, royal commentator Michael Cole told MailOnline today: ‘The decision was hers alone and she was encouraged to make it by witnessing the public reaction to the news of the King’s cancer, released by Buckingham Palace.
‘The outpouring of concern worldwide, with messages of support flowing in an unending stream of kindness and encouragement, took the King by surprise, rather like Queen Victoria who wrote in her diary how surprised she was by people shouting they loved her as she drove through the crowds to her Golden Jubilee in 1887.’
+7
View gallery
Kate and Charles during a visit to a medical rehabilitation centre in Loughborough in 2020
+7
View gallery
Charles and Kate (seen in 2012) also share a love of art, gardening and the outdoors – but now their bond sadly stretches to a shared cancer diagnosis and ongoing treatment
Mr Cole, a former BBC television royal correspondent, added: ‘Kate has grown close to the King, who has repeatedly referred to her as “my beloved daughter-in-law”. As such, she was well aware of the public response to the revelation of the King’s cancer and how it had affected him.
‘The King was one of very few people given a preview of the young woman, sitting alone on a bench in her Breton sweater and blue jeans, in front of daffodils in full bloom, a traditional symbol of spring and new life.’
Charles and Camilla have publicly offered their love and support to Kate, the Prince of Wales, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis as the family try to come to terms with the news.
The monarch, 75, is extremely fond of the princess, who has been part of his eldest son the Prince of Wales’s life for more than 20 years.
Charles and Kate also share a love of art, gardening and the outdoors – but now their bond sadly stretches to a shared cancer diagnosis and ongoing treatment.
The King returned to work as he appeared in a series of photographs released by Buckingham Palace in March.
