ROYAL FAMILY NEWSPrince William Skips Bow to Queen Camilla During State Visit — But Kate Middleton Complies Amid Rumored Feud
Prince William opted not to bow to Queen Camilla while Kate Middleton complied during a state visit.
March 18 2026, Published 3:43 p.m. ET
Kate Middleton opted not to curtsy to Queen Camilla during a state visit — even though Prince William bowed to his stepmother.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met Nigerian president Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his wife, Oluremi Tinubu, at a hotel in Windsor on March 18.
Kate Middleton chose to curtsy to her stepmother-in-law.
A little while later, Kate, 44, William, 43, met with Camilla, 78, and King Charles, 77, for a state greeting.
The Princess of Wales welcomed Camilla with a kiss on each cheek and then bowed. She also curtsied to Charles as she greeted him.
As for William, he simply gave the former Duchess of Cornwall a pair of light cheek smooches.
Queen Camilla and Prince William Had Some Tension in the Past
Queen Camilla and King Charles tied the knot in 2005.
There has been some beef in the past between Kate, Camilla and William. While Charles has been dealing with a form of cancer in recent years, the Prince of Wales has been taking on a bigger role within the monarchy.
This posed a little problem for Camilla, as she's reportedly not happy with how William plans to run the throne.
"I get the feeling at the moment that she’s seeing William trying to create issues, and she’s told Charles to stop it," royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told The Mirror.
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Prince William isn't close with Queen Camilla.
"I would say a lot of influence probably came from Camilla," he added. "I think the reality is it’s been rumored for a while that William has been trying to push — whatever — in the monarchy at the moment, that he’s the driving force behind the throne, and I think Charles should be."
William also has trouble opening up to Camilla ever since she married Charles in 2005. “William and [Prince] Harry had always distrusted Camilla and felt resentment toward her because of their devotion to their mother. They never felt comfortable opening up to her in any real way," an insider said in 2024.
Princess Diana Wasn't Too Fond of Queen Camilla
King Charles and Princess Diana divorced in 1996.
The late Princess Diana was married to the former Prince of Wales from 1981 until their divorce in 1996. She infamously dubbed Camilla as the "third person" in her marriage, as his affair with Camilla tremendously impacted her mental health.
Charles and Camilla met in the 1970s and stayed in contact through the decades. The public became aware of their relationship in 1992 when Diana published her memoir.
The couple's reputations were further damaged when their private phone conversations were leaked to the press in 1993 in a saga titled "Tampongate."
