King Charles' sweet Coronation gesture to Kate Middleton says a lot about their relationship

Well, this is lovely.

Kate Middleton Prince William
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Preparations for the Coronation of King Charles III are well underway, with the state event set for this weekend, on Saturday 6 May.

But other than Pret coronation chicken sandwiches and a limited run of regal Colin the Caterpillars, what can we expect from the big day? And who will be in attendance?

The coronation celebrations will span the whole weekend, from the ceremonial procession through London, to the Big Coronation Lunch on Sunday morning and the Coronation Concert that evening. 

The main event however is undoubtedly the actual Coronation ceremony, with the two-hour historic event taking place in Westminster Abbey at 11am.

A grand total of 2,000 guests have been invited to witness the crowning of King Charles and Queen Camilla. And while these will mainly include heads of state and senior royal family members from around the world, it appears King Charles has made a sweet exception. 

Middleton family

(Image credit: Getty Images)

In a loving nod to his "darling daughter-in-law" Kate Middleton, King Charles has reportedly invited her family to his Coronation.

According to Richard Eden, via HELLO!, King Charles has invited Kate's whole direct family - Michael and Carole Middleton, her sister Pippa and her brother James.

This is said to be a very special nod due to the limited capacity, with multiple family members - namely Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, snubbed of an invite.

Friends of the family reportedly told Eden of the Middletons' attendance: “They are the family of our future queen, so it's right that they should be there.”

Kate Middleton King Charles

(Image credit: Getty Images)

It's no surprise that the King has made this sweet exception for Kate Middleton, with the two being known to share a very special bond.

In fact, during the Champagne reception at Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding, King Charles made a speech about his new daughter-in-law, describing her as the daughter he never had, and telling the audience: "We are lucky to have her."

Well, this is lovely.

Jenny Proudfoot
Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.