Yahoo News Former royal butler spots Kate Middleton balcony detail highlighting 'close relationship'
A former royal butler has said King Charles and Princess Kate’s ‘close relationship’ was visible during Trooping the Colour. The ceremony marked Kate’s first public appearance this year since undergoing chemotherapy for an undisclosed form of cancer.
The princess announced on Friday that she would be attending the ceremony despite not being “out of the woods” with her treatment. Although she did not join senior family members on a dais, she watched the event from the Duke of Wellington’s former office with her children.
During the RAF flypast, she joined her family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. The 42-year-old stood between King Charles and her husband Prince William. It comes as the King also received treatment for cancer.
Former royal butler Grant Harrold said that the positioning of the family members reflected the close bond and that protocol usually dictates that William and his father would stand together. Speaking on behalf of Spin Genie, he said: “The protocol is that traditionally Kate and William would be standing next to each other and the King and Camilla standing next to each other.
"It is planned but it is also changing the protocol to show the King and Kate united with each other and going through similar battles, so I would say this is down to the King’s preference. The balcony is all orchestrated but I have a feeling the King said the Kate ‘you stand next to me’.
“It was nice that Charles and Catherine were standing next to each other, they are very close and it showed they are supporting each other. I think it was a nice gesture and I’m sure William is pleased they were there beside each other.”
