Why Prince Charles Gave A ‘Churlish’ Response To Prince William, Kate Middleton’s Engagement

Prince Charles once gave a surprisingly churlish reaction after he was asked to comment on Prince William and Kate Middleton’s engagement. The future king’s statement was in stark contrast to what Kate’s parents said.

In the book “William And Catherine,” royal author Andrew Morton said that the engagement day of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge illustrated how different Prince Charles is from his eldest son. When asked about the engagement, Prince William gave a mature and assured performance.

Prince Charles, on the other hand, was rather churlish. According to Morton, there is a reason why this was the case.

“While the Queen and Kate’s parents had expressed their delight, and Harry had mused, ‘It means I get a sister, which I have always wanted,’ the Prince of Wales seemed a forlorn side figure, ungracious, and curmudgeonly,” Morton said. “Perhaps unsurprisingly, opinion polls the weekend after the announcement all suggested, as they have for some years, that on the Queen’s death the Crown should skip a generation and pass straight to William,” he added.

The royal author said that one half and two thirds of the public wanted Prince William and Kate to be the next king and queen. This means that they want Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles to be bypassed for the important roles.

Morton also drew comparisons between Prince William and Kate’s engagement interview with that of Prince Charles and Princess Diana from 1981. He said that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s relationship showed all the right ingredients for longevity, and they also appeared to be happy and in love.

“It had none of the metaphysical equivocation that Prince Charles had shown when, in his engagement interview, he was asked about his feelings. ‘Whatever in love means,’ was his now-infamous reply. His son was clear and forthright: ‘We are hugely excited and looking forward to spending the rest of our lives together,’” Morton said.

Prince William asked for Kate’s hand in marriage while they were in Kenya. Prior to their engagement, the couple had already been dating for years.