Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince William Are "Going Through Hell," Says Friend.

Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince William Are "Going Through Hell," Says Friend.

Thanks to the non stop feuds and power struggles among the royals, it's not exactly a shock that Kate Middleton and Prince William are closer to her family—the Middletons—than King Charles and Queen Camilla. But apparently William finds his wife's dependence on her parents "bittersweet."

Royal insiders tell Rob Shuter's ShuterScoop that "the balance of power inside Kensington Palace has quietly shifted" and that the Middleton's are currently William and Kate's "inner circle."

Per one source, "Kate leans on her family for everything. They’re the ones she trusts, the ones she wants around her kids. William’s side is basically frozen out."

Another insider explains that "Kate’s family is solid, dependable, fun. For William, it’s bittersweet. He loves them, but it highlights just how fractured his own family has become."

Last year, a source told the Daily Mail that William considered Carole Middleton to be a "second mum" to him, and that she'd taught her son-in-law "how a loving and supportive family works."

Meanwhile, a Tatler source said back in 2020 that William "absolutely adores them. Michael is charming. Really kind, soft and gentle. William loves going to the country to stay with them. Their family life is so soothing for him as it's so different from his own family."

The “Bittersweet” Dynamic in the Wales Family.

The headline you’ve referenced—“Kate Middleton’s Closeness to Her Fam ‘Bittersweet’ for Prince William as His Side Is ‘Frozen Out’”—appears to stem from a recent tabloid-style report published on September 24, 2025, in outlets like Cosmopolitan, AOL, and Yahoo News. It’s based on anonymous “royal insiders” speaking to celebrity columnist Rob Shuter for his Substack newsletter, *ShuterScoop*. While royal gossip like this often mixes speculation with exaggeration, it touches on a well-documented pattern in Prince William and Kate Middleton’s family life: their heavy reliance on the Middletons amid ongoing tensions in the broader royal circle. Below, I’ll break down the claims, context, and what’s known from more reliable sources.

Key Claims from the Report.

According to Shuter’s sources:

- Kate’s family as the “inner circle”: The Middletons (Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael, plus siblings Pippa and James) have become the primary support system for the Prince and Princess of Wales. One insider claims Kate “leans on her family for everything—they’re the ones she trusts, the ones she wants around her kids.” Examples include Carole frequently joining school runs and outings with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, and the Waleses attending Pippa’s recent 41st birthday party (which featured vintage planes and champagne towers).

- William’s family “frozen out”: In contrast, William’s relatives—particularly King Charles, Queen Camilla, and even his estranged brother Prince Harry—are described as sidelined. The report suggests the “balance of power inside Kensington Palace has quietly shifted,” with the Waleses prioritizing Middleton gatherings over time at Windsor or with the monarch.

- The “bittersweet” feeling: A source quotes, “Kate’s family is solid, dependable, fun. For William, it’s bittersweet. He loves them, but it highlights just how fractured his own family has become.” This implies William appreciates the stability but feels a poignant reminder of his own family’s divisions, including his parents’ divorce, his mother Princess Diana’s death in 1997, and the ongoing rift with Harry.

These details paint a picture of the Waleses building a “chosen family” bubble, especially post-Kate’s cancer diagnosis and treatment in early 2025, which she announced was in remission by January.

Broader Context and Substantiation.

This isn’t entirely new gossip—it’s an amplification of patterns observed for years:

- Longstanding closeness to the Middletons: William has publicly praised Carole as a “second mum” who taught him “how a loving and supportive family works” (per a 2024 Daily Mail source). A 2020 Tatler report noted he “absolutely adores them,” describing weekends at the Middletons’ Bucklebury estate as “soothing” compared to royal life. The family even earned a playful nickname from William’s St. Andrews friends: the “OM Middletons” (for “On Masse Middletons”), highlighting their inseparable vibe.

- Royal family fractures: William’s relationships with his father and brother are indeed strained. Public feuds escalated after Harry’s 2020 memoir Spare and the 2023 Oprah interview with Meghan, with William reportedly feeling “hurt and angry” over exposed family secrets. King Charles’s health issues and slimmed-down monarchy have added distance, though recent reports (e.g., People in October 2025) show William is “quite vocal” about modernizing the institution for his kids’ sake—focusing on emotional attunement over tradition.

- *Post-cancer family focus: Since Kate’s January 2025 remission announcement, the couple has emphasized work-life balance. William skipped some 2025 engagements to support her, and they’ve prioritized low-key family time. This aligns with the report’s emphasis on Middleton involvement, but experts like royal author Katie Nicholl note the Waleses are “stronger and closer than ever” privately, with affectionate gestures like hand-on-back moments when cameras aren’t rolling.

Public and Social Media Reaction.

The story has sparked chatter on X (formerly Twitter), with users debating its tabloid sensationalism. For instance, a September 24 post from @thuongnb (Royal Family Story) shared a video summary, garnering modest engagement—mostly eye-rolls at the “frozen out” drama. Broader sentiment echoes fatigue with royal rift narratives, though some praise the Middletons’ role as a “grounding force.”

Is This “Bittersweet” Reality or Royal Soap Opera?

While the emotional nuance feels plausible—William, at 43, has spoken candidly about his “hardest year” in 2024 (Vanity Fair, September 2025)—much of this relies on unnamed sources, a hallmark of outlets like Cosmopolitan. More neutral reporting (e.g., Wikipedia‘s overview of Kate’s media scrutiny or Marie Claire‘s take on their private warmth) suggests the Waleses are thriving, not fracturing. If anything, the Middletons’ involvement seems like a strength, not a slight to William’s side.

Tags: Queen, Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince Louis, Prince William and Kate Middleton, Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Meghan, Lilibet

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