A royal biographer claimed that King Charles was “a little irritated” by Prince William and Kate Middleton‘s engagement. Their proposal took place in 2010 in a cabin hut on the side of Mount Kenya in Africa. The following year, in April, they officially tied the knot at Westminster Abbey in London.
King Charles was ‘irritated’ after Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton
Robert Jobson, a royal biographer, revealed what “irritated” King Charles about Prince William’s proposal in his book The Windsor Legacy: A Royal Dynasty of Secrets, Scandal and Survival. He initially touched upon how the palace announced William and Kate Middleton’s wedding in 2011, a “joyful event” perceived to “overshadow” the grief of the demise of Princess Diana in 1997.
Jobson detailed what slightly didn’t sit well with the monarch — information he claims was provided to him by a palace employee. “Privately, Charles was surprised, even ‘a little irritated,’ that William had proposed to Catherine using the same 12-carat Ceylon sapphire and diamond ring from Garrard’s 1981 catalog, that he had presented to Diana on their engagement,” he penned. Jobson revealed that the irritation didn’t last long, though, and he was eventually happy for the couple.
The biographer revealed that William initially didn’t reveal this big news to Charles and the late Queen Elizabeth II while secretly planning his future with Middleton. “On November 16, 2010, he telephoned The Queen to announce that he and Catherine were now officially engaged. She was delighted. When asked by the press, Charles joked that the pair had been practicing long enough,” he added (via Marie Claire).
Prince William and Kate Middleton were announced as Prince and Princess of Wales in 2022, 10 years after their marriage. “With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the centre ground where vital help can be given,” Charles said while making the major announcement.
