Before Kate Middleton married Prince William in 2011, Queen Camilla saved the Princess of Wales from making a royal wedding faux pas, the New York Post reports. Two months before the bride’s big day, Kate and Camilla had lunch at the Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge, along with Kate’s sister, Pippa Middleton, and Camilla’s daughter, Laura Rose Lopes. According to an insider who overheard their conversation, the group was discussing wedding plans. “They were all getting on very well and clearly hadn’t asked for an out-of-the-way table and nor did they attempt to lower their voices,” the source said. The insider also mentioned that Kate and Camilla held hands and laughed during their chat.
Kate shared that she wanted to wear flowers in her hair for her nuptials, which was reportedly inspired by her mother Carole Middleton’s own wedding style. Then, the source allegedly heard Camilla telling the bride-to-be, “If I can give you one bit of advice,” before advising that a tiara would be the more appropriate choice. During the conversation, the queen also recommended that Kate get a signature manicure for $45 from her own manicurist, Marina Sandoval at the Jo Hansford hair salon in Mayfair.
Then, the insider said Camilla gave Kate a gold charm bracelet featuring a disc that was engraved with their names and titles. The bracelet is reportedly similar to a piece of jewelry that Camilla is always seen wearing, the outlet reports.
Kate ended up taking Camilla’s advice. On her wedding day, the royal completed her nuptial look with the Cartier Halo tiara, which is composed of 739 brilliant-cut diamonds and 149 baguette diamonds. The glittering crown, which dates back to 1936, was part of Queen Elizabeth II’s personal collection. According to Yahoo! Life, Kate had a strong bond with Elizabeth and her personal dresser, Angela Kelly, so she is said to have had access to virtually any item in the vault. “Kate gets the pick of the jewels for big occasions, and the queen is happy to open up her jewelry box,” an insider told Grazia.
According to New York Post, Camilla and Kate have had a long history of having one another’s backs. The outlet reveals that Camilla was a strong supporter to Kate when the princess was a new member of the royal family. When Kate had to publicly interact with royals who were less welcoming, Camilla allegedly taught Kate to act comfortable in front of cameras. Her trick? Focus on friendly faces of the photographers. Then, during times of tension, Kate is said to have kept the peace among William, Charles, and Camilla. The two royals also have a mutual love of arts and prioritize supporting their spouses, according to an insider.
This isn’t the first time Camilla has imparted invaluable wisdom before a royal wedding. According to a Channel 5 documentary, the monarch gave helpful advice to Meghan Markle after Prince Harry proposed to her in November 2017. “In many ways, Camilla had paved the way for Meghan,” royal reporter Kate Nicholl said in the documentary. Nicholl noted that Camilla could relate to Meghan since she also received resistance from the royals due to her affair with King Charles during his marriage to Princess Diana. “Camilla would have been there to tell her not to take any criticism personally, but this is just what happens when you’re an outsider,” the reporter continued.
