King Charles' alleged 'order' to Prince William, and the prince's reported refusal, has turned a routine royal scheduling decision into a fresh bit of palace theatre. The claim centres on William skipping Jimmy Carter's funeral in Washington, with royal author Norman Baker saying the Prince of Wales stayed home because it was Princess Kate's 43rd birthday.
The event in question was the state funeral for former US president Jimmy Carter, where Prince Edward represented the British royal family after King Charles was unable to travel to the United States. Baker's comments, reported by the Daily Mail and republished by Marie Claire and Newsweek, framed the absence as a choice between duty and family, and suggested William chose the latter.
