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This year has been a life-changing one for Kate Middleton, King Charles, and the rest of the royal family after they were both diagnosed with cancer. But despite the hardships their health crises caused, it sounds like it’s only brought the Princess of Wales and her father-in-law closer together. In fact, royal experts say that Will and Kate’s bond with Charles is stronger than ever.

Both Kate and Charles have been treated for cancer this year.

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Though Kate shared earlier this fall that she had completed her chemotherapy treatment, Charles still seems to be in the thick of treatment, which he paused to be able to go on his royal tour of Australia with Queen Camilla in October. Since cancer treatment is something that is hard to understand if it’s never happened to you before, it makes sense that they’d lean on each other during this time.

They have been supporting each other during this time.

As royal expert Richard Palmer wrote for The Sun, right now, Charles and Camilla are “closer” to Will and Kate than they have been in the past. Additionally, Kate appreciated her father-in-law checking on her while they were both undergoing treatment at the same hospital earlier this year.

“It was a small gesture, one perhaps not so surprising, but it demonstrated their closeness in a world of royalty where family members worry that visiting sick relatives can be disruptive for the medical staff because everything tends to stop if the monarch comes calling,” Richard said.

Just before Kate made her cancer diagnosis public, she and Charles had a ‘heart-to-heart’ over lunch.

“They are very close and he thinks of Catherine as his daughter,” one source told Richard, while another insider said, “They are two patients going through a common health experience. They are bound to have a close connection.”

Charles made a public gesture to show how much he cares for Kate.

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When Kate made a rare public appearance on the Trooping the Colour ceremony this summer, Charles stood next to her as a public show of support.

And as royal biographer Robert Jobson wrote in his book Catherine: The Princess of Wales, she’s also helped Charles and William become closer during this time. “An instinctive peace-maker, she has smoothed the way for William and his father to have a better relationship than they had in the past,” he wrote in the book.

Now, their bond continues to be strong.

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In the book, Robert wrote that Charles’ eyes “light up” when he sees Kate. According to royal expert Richard, it seems like the feeling is mutual.

“In the warm embrace of their family, both the King and the Princess have found a bond that has sustained them through what has been a dark period in their lives,” Richard said.