King Charles, Kate Middleton share warm public moment at Duchess of Kent's funeral

King Charles and Kate Middleton shared a warm public moment Tuesday as members of the royal family gathered for the funeral of Katharine, Duchess of Kent, at Westminster Cathedral.

After the Catholic Requiem Mass, the family assembled on the cathedral steps as the duchess’s coffin was placed into a hearse. 

Before Charles departed, Kate embraced him with a kiss on each cheek and a quick curtsy, her hands resting on his shoulders. 

The gesture underscored the close relationship between the 76-year-old monarch and his 43-year-old daughter-in-law. 

Charles has spoken fondly of Kate, referring to her as “my beloved daughter-in-law” at a state banquet in Kenya in 2023, where he recalled Prince William’s proposal to her in the same country more than a decade earlier. 

Their bond has deepened in recent years as both navigated cancer diagnoses in 2024. 

Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith has described Kate as “like the daughter he never had,” noting Charles and William’s shared instinct to protect her. 

A royal source said the pair’s connection extends beyond duty, calling them “two patients going through a common health experience.” 

Katharine, Duchess of Kent, who married Queen Elizabeth II’s cousin the Duke of Kent, died September 4. 

She is survived by her husband, three children and 10 grandchildren.