Prince William is relying on this ‘stoic’ family member to support The Firm while he focuses on his family - and it’s the royal you might least expect

The relatives have had a rocky relationship in the past, but they're now closer than ever

Prince William
(Image credit: UK Press Pool/UK Press via Getty Images)

According to a royal expert, there is one royal relative in particular that Prince William is relying on as he focuses on his family this Easter - and it proves that they're putting their previously rocky relationship behind them. 

The Royal Family have been through a tumultuous time in recent months. King Charles III has been diagnosed with cancer, as has Kate Middleton, and the family are still trying to pick up the pieces of their fallout with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

Through it all, Prince William has prioritised his three young children Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five, leaving him to rely on one 'stoic' family member to continue the work of The Firm while he is away - and his younger self would be surprised at who it is. 

That's because, despite their reportedly once tumultuous relationship, William has found a rock in Queen Camilla, who married his father back in 2005. "Camilla is as stoic as she is forgiving," royal expert and author of My Mother & I Ingrid Seward told The Mirror. "Kate's illness has brought her closer to William who once disliked her intensely. Even up to her marriage to his father, both William and Harry begged 'pa' not to marry Camilla. Thank goodness he did."

And not only is William thankful for Camilla's personal support for his family, especially as he takes time away from royal duties to enjoy his family's surprise Easter break in Norfolk, but he's also immensely grateful for the support she's giving to the monarchy and wider public. 

"Her cheerfulness and her open-hearted approach to people and events are exactly what the monarchy needs right now," Seward said. "William can see that and he must be very grateful to her. Not only is she keen on keeping his father calm but she is, in her way, keeping the country calm too. Always smiling and giving a cheery report on the progress of Charles and her stepdaughter-in-law. She is exactly what we all need right now."

It's a slightly surprising turn of events. Camilla and William's relationship has reportedly long been one of forced pleasantries and Prince Harry's relationship with his father's wife is thought to be similarly cold. In his memoir Spare, Harry detailed their relationship, sharing stories about how he 'feared' Camilla would be his 'wicked stepmother' and detailed the way both he and William consistently urged their father not to marry Camilla. 

But it seems that the tides have turned. Camilla has been praised by both experts and royal fans for the way she has stepped up following her husband's recent heath struggles and she's only set to impress further over Easter as she makes an appearance at the Royal Family's annual Easter service. 

In other royal news, Queen Camilla has shared some hilarious insight into her grandson’s personality - but caused confusion over his name, while Prince Harry has revealed the sweet details of Queen Elizabeth’s final meeting with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Plus Prince William and Prince Harry’s rivalry was ‘inevitable’ and can be traced back to their childhood, says childhood trauma expert. 

News writer

Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse is a news writer for Goodtoknow, specialising in family content. She began her freelance journalism career after graduating from Nottingham Trent University with an MA in Magazine Journalism, receiving an NCTJ diploma, and earning a First Class BA (Hons) in Journalism at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute. She has also worked with BBC Good Food and The Independent.