King Charles’s admiration for the many strong-willed women in his life can be traced back to his relationship with his grandmother the Queen Mother, according to a royal expert.
Daily Mail royal editor Rebecca English wrote that the late royal matriarch, who died in 2002 at the age of 101, was nicknamed the “steel marshmallow” for appearing soft yet in actuality was made of stern stuff.
Many have suggested that Princess Kate may have inherited this title, while Charles also gave his daughter-in-law Meghan Markle the nickname Tungsten to show how resilient she was.
In his youth the King often felt his parents were emotionally distant so was drawn to the Queen Mother, of whom he said: “For me, she meant everything. I adored her.”
One former royal aide believes it is she who has had the biggest impact on the man he is today, as they said: “The King is not frightened of powerful women, although he occasionally pretends he is.
“What’s interesting, however, is that he won’t promote for the sake of it. He doesn’t mind where the best talent is coming from as long as they are as passionate about the issues that matter as he is.”
The King’s wife Queen Camilla is currently holding the fort while he recovers from prostate surgery, although he will likely continue to conduct some work from home.
The Queen has been out and about on solo engagements around the country, spending time in Cambridge on Friday with Strictly Come Dancing star Johannes Radebe.
