Although Prince William has plenty of fellow royals to turn to when he’s in need of some advice – including the Princess of Wales – there’s someone outside the Royal Family who’s a key confidante for him too. According to Vanity Fair’s Royal Correspondent Katie Nicholl, the future King and his father-in-law Michael Middleton are “close”.
So much so, that Prince William is said to “often” ask Michael for his pearls of wisdom. As per the Daily Mail, Katie explained on the podcast Dynasty: The Royal Family’s Most Challenging Year, that the Middleton patriarch is a “really wonderful” father-in-law to the royal.
“I know they have a close relationship, and that William will often turn to Michael for advice,” she claimed. “He has a great sense of humour and I think he’s someone who is a cool head in a crisis.”
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Writing in Vanity Fair ahead of the Prince and Princess of Wales’s 2011 wedding, the royal expert also alleged that as well as “Mike”, William does “on occasion” call Michael “Dad”. She described the Middletons as a “close-knit family” and expressed her belief that this is one reason why the Prince of Wales “loves spending time” with his in-laws.
Michael, who turned 76 on 23rd June, just a few days after Prince William’s birthday, was dubbed a “man of fewer words” in Katie’s book, William and Harry. However, whilst he might supposedly be quiet-spoken, it seems that his son-in-law highly values his advice.
Michael’s measured approach is perhaps what makes him such a valued confidante for Prince William. He’s also said to have been a grounding influence for the Princess of Wales too, with a family friend alleging to Katie that Kate takes after her dad a lot.
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“Kate’s feet are still on the ground, largely because of Michael,” they stated. “He doesn’t get too swept up in the grandeur of her new life, and Kate loves him for that. She gets a lot of her characteristics from him.”
Since Prince William and Kate got married her family have been regularly included in some of the most high-profile royal occasions, including King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation in 2023. Last year, the Prince of Wales was also spotted happily chatting with both Carole and Michael at Royal Ascot.
Whilst they are sometimes seen in public, though, their time with William and Kate is largely kept private. The Middleton family and their home in Berkshire are understood to be a place of love, support and security for the Waleses.
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It was at Bucklebury Manor that the first official photos of Prince George were taken – by none other than the young royal’s thoughtful grandfather, Michael Middleton. The sweet snaps show Prince William, Kate and their son in the garden with their late dog Lupo and the Middleton family retriever, Tilly.
“He proposed that he would take the photo himself: organise a stress-free photoshoot in the garden and save them the bother of getting in a photographer who would take ages. It meant the nervous new parents could stop any time they wanted,” a family friend previously alleged to the Daily Mail.
