Prince William finds ally in Kate Middleton’s mother Carole amid royal health woes: expert

Prince William has found an unlikely ally as his wife and father battle cancer – his mother-in-law.

The U.K.’s Daily Mail reported that Kate Middleton’s mother, Carole Middleton, is a close friend to the Prince of Wales and someone he can "confide" in during tough times. The pair were reportedly spotted at a "low-key" pub in Norfolk as the Princess of Wales continues to recuperate at home.

"There is no question that Carole Middleton has stepped up in a major way," Christopher Andersen, author of "The King," told Fox News Digital. "She is not only a pillar of support for Kate, but she is also pitching in to give the children a semblance of normality in their daily lives - driving them to classes, cheering for them at after-school sporting events, just being there for them while their mother undergoes cancer treatment."

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"The royal family has never been particularly cuddly," Andersen shared. "'Warm' and ‘fuzzy’ are not words I would use to describe them. The king, for example, always complained bitterly that both his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, and his father, Prince Philip, were ‘cold, aloof, distant figures’ when he was growing up… By contrast, Carole Middleton is a youthful, fun-loving, surprisingly hip 69-year-old, and she brings to the equation the kind of softness mixed with quiet strength that only a caring grandmother can supply."

"The truth is that, for a long time now, Carole Middleton has been the closest thing to a mother William has," Andersen continued. "She has always been there for him as much as he has for Kate.  On the other hand, the relationship between William and his actual stepmother, Queen Camilla, has always been chilly. William can count on Camilla to focus on the King and her own grandchildren, and that's about it."

On March 22, the Princess of Wales made a video announcement stating she was undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. It came after relentless speculation on social media ever since January when she was hospitalized for unspecified abdominal surgery.

The 42-year-old asked for "time, space and privacy" while she is treated for an unspecified type of cancer that was discovered after what she described as "major" surgery.

In February, Buckingham Palace announced the king had been diagnosed with cancer. The palace didn’t disclose what form of cancer the 75-year-old has, but said it’s not related to his recent treatment for a benign prostate condition.

Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner claimed to Fox News Digital that Carole has stepped up more than ever to offer her son-in-law a helping hand. The Prince and Princess of Wales are parents to three young children: Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5.

"Carole Middleton has become a very useful asset to William and Kate," said Pelham Turner. "She has been staying with the royal couple and helping to look after the children during this most difficult time. She has been a support to William [in particular]. They are very close and are often seen in local public houses not standing on ceremony and enjoying a glass of wine or beer."

"Carole does most of the driving when Kate is required to travel somewhere and always accompanies her to treatments," Pelham Turner added.

Some royal watchers aren’t surprised that Carole is a constant presence. Andersen said in the early years of William and Middleton's courtship, the prince sought refuge from the pressures of royal life inside the Middleton household. 

The 41-year-old is heir to the British throne.

"Carole Middleton was ridiculed in the press for her working-class roots, but it was precisely because she and her family were so warm and welcoming - so down-to-earth and easygoing - that William felt that when he was with them, he could relax and be himself," Andersen explained. "There were a lot of off-color jokes and plenty of raucous laughter around the Middleton dinner table, and by all accounts, William loved every minute of it."

"Prince William hit it off instantly with both of Kate's parents," Andersen shared. "In many ways, he is closer to Michael and Carole Middleton than he ever was with his own father.

"When William becomes king, it is expected that Camilla will become Queen Mother. Carole Middleton won't get that title. But, given the fact that she is more of a surrogate mother than a mother-in-law to William, Carole is far more deserving of it."

British royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that Carole is known within royal circles to put family first – something that has always appealed to William.

"Carole has been described as a ‘driving force’ and the reason they are all so close-knit as a family," said Fordwich. "She has been playing a most vital role behind the scenes, keeping the family together with a minimum of fuss and maximum modesty, two characteristics Prince William particularly cherishes.

"She’s been running the children around to their school and sports events, being described as ‘Mary Poppins-like,’" Fordwich noted. "Her reassurance as the rock of the family was especially important as they were all coming to terms with the sad cancer diagnosis."

For years, it’s been speculated that it was Carole, a former flight attendant, who masterminded her eldest daughter’s romance with the prince. But at the time of the couple’s budding romance, a Kensington Palace source pushed back against the narrative of Carole playing matchmaker.

The Prince and Princess of Wales tied the knot in 2011.

When Kensington Palace originally announced that the Princess of Wales had abdominal surgery in January, William put a pause on his royal duties to look after his wife and their children. On Feb. 27, he pulled out of a service honoring his godfather, King Constantine of Greece, at the last minute. At the time, palace officials said he was unable to attend due to a personal matter.

William has since resumed his work.

"The prince will continue to balance supporting his wife and family and maintaining his official duties as he has done since the start of the year," a Kensington Palace spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital.

In her announcement, Middleton said it had been thought that her condition was non-cancerous until post-surgery tests revealed the diagnosis.

"This, of course, came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family," she said.

She admitted it has been "an incredibly tough couple of months" for her family.

A Kensington Palace spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital that Middleton will return to work in accordance with advice from her medical team.

"The princess will return to official duties when she is cleared to do so by her medical team," the spokesperson said. "She is in good spirits and is focused on making a full recovery."

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Andersen said that as Middleton heals, Carole will continue to be the mother that William needs.

"I'm sure [William’s mother] Diana would have been an incredibly loving grandmother to George, Charlotte, and Louis if she'd ever had the chance," he said. "The late Princess of Wales would have been besotted with them, just as she so famously was with William and [his brother] Prince Harry. Carole must feel that, in a sense, the ghost of Diana is looking over her shoulder."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.