{"id":228413,"date":"2026-05-12T11:51:44","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T11:51:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/228413\/"},"modified":"2026-05-12T11:51:44","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T11:51:44","slug":"queen-camilla-felt-kate-middleton-was-too-common-early-on-author-claims","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/228413\/","title":{"rendered":"Queen Camilla felt Kate Middleton was ‘too common’ early on, author claims"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!\n <\/p>\n

Queen Camilla didn\u2019t always think Kate Middleton was suited to be with a future king.<\/p>\n

The claim comes from author Christopher Andersen, whose new book “Kate!”<\/a> explores the Princess of Wales\u2019 rise from commoner to the heir\u2019s wife and mother of the next in line. Andersen\u2019s account is based on his reporting and sources and has not been independently confirmed by the palace.<\/p>\n

“In the beginning, Camilla was one of Kate\u2019s fiercest critics,” Andersen told Fox News Digital. “She did not think she was up to snuff, as it were. She was below the salt. She had no aristocratic blood.”<\/p>\n

QUEEN CAMILLA AND KATE MIDDLETON\u2019S ROYAL BATTLE OVER BLUE SPARKED PALACE TENSION: EXPERT<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Queen <\/p>\n

Author Christopher Andersen told Fox News Digital that Queen Camilla reportedly questioned whether Kate Middleton, as a “commoner,” had what it took to succeed in the British royal family. The royal wives are seen here in London, circa 2023. (Max Mumby\/Indigo\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

“Camilla always saw herself as the mistress of a king, not a queen,” Andersen claimed. “And she picked [Princess] Diana<\/a> to be [King] Charles\u2019 bride. So, she was very cognizant of the fact that a future king of England should have, she believed, a marriage to a royal personage, or at least a British aristocrat.”<\/p>\n

“Kate was none of those things, but she quickly became popular,” Andersen added.<\/p>\n

\"Close-up <\/p>\n

He noted that Camilla\u2019s early skepticism stemmed from concerns about royal tradition and social class.<\/p>\n

WATCH: KATE MIDDLETON WON OVER QUEEN CAMILLA AFTER EARLY TENSIONS: AUTHOR<\/p>\n

Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace for comment. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson previously told Fox News Digital, “We don\u2019t comment on such books<\/a>.”<\/p>\n

\"Kate <\/p>\n

Kate Middleton walks during her graduation ceremony at St. Andrews University in Scotland on June 23, 2005. Prince William graduated the same day with a master’s degree in geography from the university. (Michael Dunlea\/Pool\/AFP)<\/p>\n

Kate grew up in a quiet village near Berkshire, England, the daughter of a commercial airline pilot and a former flight attendant who later built a successful party supplies business. She went on to study art history at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, where she met Prince William<\/a> in 2001. After years of an on-and-off relationship, the couple got engaged in 2010 and married the following year.<\/p>\n

\"Prince <\/p>\n

Prince William and Kate Middleton married on April 29, 2011, in London. (John Stillwell-WPA Pool\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

According to Andersen\u2019s book, Camilla “did object” to Kate\u2019s “working-class roots”<\/a> for a reason. Camilla is the granddaughter of a baron and a descendant of the Stuart bloodline, which ruled England from 1603 to 1714.<\/p>\n

\"Camilla <\/p>\n

Camilla and Kate Middleton travel down The Mall in a horse-drawn carriage during Trooping the Colour in London on June 13, 2015. (Max Mumby\/Indigo\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Her great-grandmother, Alice Keppel, was also King Edward VII\u2019s mistress, “an intimate connection to the royal family that Camilla had always taken immense pride in,” Andersen wrote. Unlike Kate, Camilla moved in royal circles throughout her life.<\/p>\n

“Camilla had long lobbied on behalf of the highborn beauties with hyphenated names who swarmed around the heir,” wrote Andersen.<\/p>\n

\"Lady <\/p>\n

Lady Diana Spencer and Camilla Parker-Bowles walk together at Ludlow Races in 1980 where Prince Charles is competing. (Express Newspapers\/Archive Photos)<\/p>\n

“It was she, after all, who, along with another of Charles\u2019 mistresses, Baroness Tryon, handpicked Lady Diana Spencer to become Charles\u2019 bride,” Andersen wrote.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He also claimed that an aristocrat with “homegrown blue blood” would be preferable than “a descendant of coal miners whose mother had grown up in public housing and once worked as a flight attendant.”<\/p>\n

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Prince <\/p>\n

The former Prince Charles and Camilla married on April 9, 2005, in Windsor, England. (Alastair Grant\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Camilla wasn\u2019t the only one who questioned whether Kate could handle life behind palace doors.<\/p>\n

\"King <\/p>\n

King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Catherine attended the 2026 Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey in London on March 9, 2026. (Arthur Edwards\/WPA Pool\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

“[Kate] has been with William for 25 years,” said Andersen. “People forget that. Don\u2019t forget the \u2018Waity Katie\u2019 10-year period there, where she put up with the slings and arrows of outrageous [comments] coming from every angle.<\/p>\n

“The palace didn\u2019t really want her. People like Camilla didn\u2019t want her because they felt that she was too common to be the wife of a future king. And, of course, the press was vicious in England, portraying her family as a bunch of louts and criticizing [her mother] Carole Middleton for doing such horrible things as chewing gum while she was quitting smoking<\/a>.”<\/p>\n

\"Kate <\/p>\n

Kate Middleton leaves her Chelsea flat in London on her 25th birthday, circa 2007. The British tabloids became fixated on the future Princess of Wales when she began dating Prince William. (Gareth Cattermole\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

According to Andersen\u2019s book, Camilla was also wary of Carole, who was portrayed in the press as “a gauche opportunist,” a mother willing to do anything to ensure her daughter would marry a future king.<\/p>\n

\"Carole <\/p>\n

Carole Middleton smiles as Queen Camilla waves to crowds following the marriage of Prince William and Princess Catherine at Westminster Abbey in London on April 29, 2011. (Chris Jackson\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

“Camilla, who felt she knew a schemer when she saw one, feared her mother,” wrote Andersen, referring to Carole.<\/p>\n

One former mistress of Charles also told Andersen that for Camilla, “it\u2019s really all about [keeping] your friends close and your enemies closer. It\u2019s her way of keeping her eye on you.”<\/p>\n

LIKE WHAT YOU\u2019RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Catherine, <\/p>\n

Catherine, Princess of Wales, tries archery as Prince William, Prince of Wales, watches during the Big Help Out at the 3rd Upton Scouts Hut in Slough, London, on May 8, 2023. Christopher Andersen told Fox News Digital that Catherine has prioritized her family since becoming a senior royal. (Daniel Leal-WPA Pool\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Andersen wrote that William, who is fiercely protective of his wife, was reportedly “offended” by a request Camilla made.<\/p>\n

“Charles and Camilla each had a royal monogram that consisted of interlocking Cs beneath a crown, and they expressed concern that a third royal cypher with a C was overkill,” Andersen wrote. “Would Kate mind if she changed the spelling of her full name from \u2018Catherine\u2019 to \u2018Katherine?\u2019 Camilla pointed out that such a change also made sense on the grounds that, to most of the world, she was known simply as \u2018Kate.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"Camilla, <\/p>\n

Queen Camilla and Kate Middleton ride in a horse-drawn carriage down The Mall during Trooping the Colour in London on June 9, 2018. (Max Mumby\/Indigo\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

“Offended by yet another command \u2026 essentially aimed at placating Camilla, a fuming William replied on his wife\u2019s behalf. The request was nothing less than \u2018insulting,\u2019 he told his father, not only to Kate but to her entire family. The bizarre suggestion that \u2018Catherine\u2019 become \u2018Katherine\u2019 simply to make Charles and Camilla happy was summarily dropped.”<\/p>\n

\"Prince <\/p>\n

Prince William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, and members of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards pose for photographers during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade at Mons Barracks in Aldershot, England, on March 17, 2023. (Karwai Tang\/WireImage)<\/p>\n

Andersen told Fox News Digital that Camilla wasn\u2019t prepared for how popular Kate would become as a member of the royal family.<\/p>\n

“I think within a matter of a couple of years, it became pretty clear to Camilla that she would have to contend with [Kate],” said Andersen. “\u2026She somehow, as the Brits like to say, never put a foot wrong. And today, as a result, she\u2019s pretty much universally admired.”<\/p>\n

\"Princess <\/p>\n

Princess Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Prince William, Prince of Wales, watch an RAF flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in London on May 6, 2023. (Max Mumby\/Indigo\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

“\u2026It\u2019s just astounding that she\u2019s been able to not only survive all this, but also flourish within the royal family,” Andersen noted.<\/p>\n

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Catherine <\/p>\n

Catherine, Princess of Wales, meets well-wishers on the Mall outside Buckingham Palace in London ahead of the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 5, 2023. (Toby Melville\/WPA Pool\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Andersen claimed that even after marrying William, Kate was quickly put to the test.<\/p>\n

“Even after April 2011, when Kate and William married<\/a>, there was a lot of sniping from the sidelines, much of it coming from Camilla\u2019s camp,” he said.<\/p>\n

\"Camilla <\/p>\n

Queen Elizabeth II (center) is seen here in London alongside Camilla (left) and Kate Middleton (right) in 2018. England’s longest-reigning monarch died in 2022. She was 96. (Max Mumby\/Indigo\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

“During the first few years of William and Kate\u2019s marriage, Kate got a lot of criticism fed to the press for not working as hard as the rest of the royal family. And the reason for that, of course, was that she put her own family and her own children first. She made it very clear that that was the way she would proceed, and that\u2019s what she\u2019s done.”<\/p>\n

Andersen said that after battling cancer in 2024, Kate has “cut way back” on royal duties “for her own health and her own wellbeing and to spend time with the family.”<\/p>\n

\"Prince <\/p>\n

Prince William and Kate Middleton are proud parents to (from left) Prince Louis, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte. (Max Mumby\/Indigo\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

“The aftermath of chemo is quite tough,” he said. “She has good days, she has bad days. She sometimes gets tired easily and unexpectedly. She has cut way back on her schedule. But again, it\u2019s because she\u2019s made it clear that [her children] come first. And William.”<\/p>\n

A St. James\u2019 Palace staffer told Andersen about Camilla, “Maybe she felt threatened by Kate, or perhaps more by William and Kate as a team.”<\/p>\n

KATE MIDDLETON WON OVER QUEEN ELIZABETH DESPITE CAMILLA\u2019S INITIAL DISAPPROVAL, EXPERT CLAIMS<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Queen <\/p>\n

Prince William (center) is said to be fiercely protective of his wife Kate Middleton (right). (Max Mumby\/Indigo\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

“\u2026Charles and Camilla needed to be the stars of the royal show, but that was not going to happen as long as the public was consumed with the ongoing saga of the young prince and his romance with a dazzling commoner,” Andersen wrote. Royal reporter and Diana\u2019s friend Richard Kay also told him, “Members of the royal family simply cannot stand being upstaged.”<\/p>\n

After Kate announced her cancer diagnosis, Camilla\u2019s feelings softened, Andersen claimed. The mother of three revealed she was officially in remission in January 2025.<\/p>\n

\"Queen <\/p>\n

Queen Camilla kisses Catherine, Princess of Wales, during a formal welcome at the Royal Dais in Windsor, England, on March 18, 2026. (Max Mumby\/Indigo\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

“Camilla had a change of heart [after] her husband\u2019s [cancer] diagnosis<\/a> [in 2024],” Andersen explained.<\/p>\n

\"Queen <\/p>\n

Queen Camilla receives a message of support for Catherine, Princess of Wales, from well-wishers during her visit to the Farmers Market in Shrewsbury, England, on March 27, 2024. (Chris Jackson\/Pool\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

“Charles and Kate were always fond of each other, but in the wake of being told that they had cancer, they really bucked up each other\u2019s spirits. And Camilla recognizes that and has said that Kate is really the one who can make Charles laugh, and she appreciates that. \u2026They\u2019re always hugging and kissing, laughing and joking. \u2026They\u2019re very, very close. And Camilla is grateful for all that Kate has done to lift her husband\u2019s spirits.”<\/p>\n

\"Prince <\/p>\n

King Charles III and Kate Middleton have forged a warm, trusting relationship, united by family ties and a shared sense of duty. (Geoff Pugh\/WPA Pool\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Still, Andersen claimed to Fox News Digital that the rivalry between the royal wives isn\u2019t quite over yet.<\/p>\n

\"Queen <\/p>\n

Queen Camilla and Princess Catherine\u2019s relationship has reportedly taken a warmer turn following Catherine\u2019s cancer diagnosis, royal author Christopher Andersen told Fox News Digital. (Karwai Tang\/WireImage)<\/p>\n

“\u2026There\u2019s still competition,” he said. “\u2026That is really what makes the whole show. That\u2019s how the monarchy functions: this competition among all the competing camps. Their staffs are constantly feeding information to the press, constantly trying to grab the spotlight for their particular royal. And Camilla and Charles do not want to be upstaged by William and Kate. William and Kate do not want to be upstaged by [Prince] Harry and Meghan [Markle].”<\/p>\n

“That\u2019s the kind of creative tension that might surprise a lot of people \u2014 they\u2019re competing,” he added.<\/p>\n

Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment at Foxnews.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Queen Camilla didn\u2019t always think Kate Middleton was suited to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":228414,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[2878,1432,157,32539,5636,9,24,63,1433,122,124,123,52819],"class_list":["post-228413","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-queens","tag-books","tag-british-royals","tag-entertainment","tag-kate","tag-king-charles-iii","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc","tag-queen-camilla","tag-queens","tag-queens-headlines","tag-queens-news","tag-will"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228413","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=228413"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228413\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/228414"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=228413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=228413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=228413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}