King Charles is defending Princess Kate in one major way behind the scenes

The Princess of Wales is taking a temporary step back from royal duties, as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy, confirming the news that she had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer earlier this year.

And while the 34-year-old has received overwhelming support from those around her, one of her biggest champions has reportedly been her father-in-law, King Charles, who has also been receiving treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer.

King Charles and the Princess of Wales are thought to have got even closer this year amid their respective recoveries, with a friend of the royal family reporting via Vanity Fair that “Charles adores Kate and has so much respect for her and the courage she has shown in all of this."

According to royal biographer Christopher Andersen, via OK!, King Charles is also making a major effort to protect Princess Kate behind the scenes, with anyone who oversteps the mark or criticises his daughter-in-law risking "being read the Riot Act".

"There are those inside and outside the Palace who have criticised Kate over the years for supposedly not shouldering her share of the royal burden, for not going to as many ribbon cuttings, hospital openings and plaque unveilings as the late Queen Elizabeth II, the King, or Princess Anne, for instance. It has always been Kate's choice to prioritise her children's well-being over royal duties. 

"In the past, Charles has remained silent about this and allowed the sniping from the sidelines to continue. But no more. Now, the King brooks no criticism of Kate, period."

The royal biographer went on to emphasise that this change had been noted within the palace walls.

"Other royal family members and courtiers alike know that they risk being read the Riot Act by the King if they dare utter a negative syllable about Kate," Andersen stated. "Charles has also made it clear that everyone should stand down in terms of when and how she returns to a full public schedule."

It is not known when Kate will return to her royal duties, with the Princess of Wales asking for "time, space and privacy" while she completes her treatment. 

We will continue to update this story.