Prince William was every inch the doting father as he fondly spoke about his nine-year-old daughter’s exam worries to a young fan on Wednesday.
The Prince of Wales was candid at a D-Day event in Portsmouth when a girl, encouraged by a woman understood to be her mother, asked where Princess Charlotte was.
Showing his paternal side, Prince William bent down to talk directly to the little one, whose name was Taylor, and explained, ‘Charlotte’s at school, Charlotte’s got exams’.
He clarified, ‘Yes, she’s got tests’ before revealing that his middle child, who is a pupil at Lambrook school in Berkshire along with her siblings, ‘wasn’t looking forward to it this morning’.
Then, just like any other supportive parent, the Prince crossed his fingers and added: ‘Hopefully it’s all gone well.’
Earlier in the exchange, Prince William congratulated Taylor on her curtsy, saying ‘Bravo’ while clapping.
He also asked if she had enjoyed the Red Arrows flypast, which took place at 12.30pm today.
Prior to meeting his young fan, Prince William gave an update on the Princess of Wales‘ condition as he revealed his wife ‘would have loved’ to attend a D-Day anniversary event with him today.
The royal joined King Charles and Queen Camilla at the event in Portsmouth this afternoon.
After delivering a moving speech to veterans and leading politicians, William met with members of the public – including war hero who asked after his wife amid her ongoing cancer treatment.
In footage posted on X, the Prince is seen telling him: ‘She is better, thanks. She would’ve loved to be here today.’
The royal went on to reveal how he had been speaking with women who worked at Bletchley Park as codebreakers along with Kate’s grandmother Valerie Middleton.
The royal continued: ‘I was reminding everyone how her grandmother served at Bletchley so she had quite a bit in common with some of the ladies here.’
Before this, the royal told one of the women: ‘My wife’s grandmother did the same sort of thing as you. Catherine only found out at the end of her life.’
Valerie and her twin sister Mary worked in Hut 16 at Bletchley Park, now engulfed in Milton Keynes, and she was part of the team of crack codebreakers who unlocked the secrets of the German Enigma machine – ultimately helping to win the war for Britain.
The Daily Mail’s Richard Eden reported in 2019 that Valerie ‘never breathed a word’ when the Princess of Wales asked her about her war efforts as a child.
‘She was so sworn to secrecy that she never felt able to tell us,’ Kate told visiting schoolchildren during her tour of the estate near Milton Keynes in 2019.
‘When she was alive, sadly she could never talk about it.’
Valerie was recruited with her twin sister Mary — Kate’s great-aunt — and they monitored diplomatic traffic from secret listening stations.
In this role, they witnessed one of the most extraordinary moments in Bletchley’s history – as the twins were on duty when a message was intercepted that Japan had surrendered.
This meant they were among the first handful of people — with George VI and Prime Minister Winston Churchill — to learn that World War II was over.
In 2016, Kate paid tribute to her late grandmother – who passed away in 2006 – and said how proud she was of what she achieved.
Writing a forward for The GCHQ Puzzle Book, the Princess said: ‘They rarely talked about their wartime service, but we now know just how important the men and women of Bletchley Park were, as they tackled some of the hardest problems facing the country.
‘In a new century, their successors at GCHQ continue this intellectual tradition. Like their Bletchley predecessors, they have become well known for valuing neurodiversity and understanding the importance of mental well-being.’
In 2019, Kate paid tribute to her grandmother by wearing a special ‘Codebreakers’ poppy brooch during the wreath-laying service at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday.
Earlier this year, the Princess of Wales revealed in an emotional video message that she is receiving treatment for cancer and has taken a step back from public duties.