Royal Diplomacy: Kate Middleton and Prince William Welcome Swedish Royals to Windsor Castle During Controversial Book Scandal.HL

Kate Middleton and Prince William warmly welcomed Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden to Windsor Castle on Thursday, strengthening the bond between the two royal families. The couples greeted each other with affection, exchanging hugs and kisses on the cheek as they enjoyed a brief visit at Windsor Castle, where William and Kate reside in Adelaide Cottage on the estate. “A pleasure to welcome The Crown Princess of Sweden and Prince Daniel to Windsor this morning,” William and Kate’s team shared on social media, accompanied by an emoji of the Swedish flag.

Kate Middleton and Prince William welcome Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel to Windsor Castle.

This royal gathering comes amid heightened attention surrounding Omid Scobie’s book Endgame, which has sparked controversy in the Netherlands. The Dutch translation reportedly named members of the British royal family in connection with a controversial conversation about the skin color of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s son, Archie. Scobie has clarified that the English version of the book does not name the individuals involved, expressing relief that the error in the Dutch edition is being corrected.

The Swedish royal couple’s visit to the U.K. is part of a few days’ trip to foster diplomatic ties between the nations. With Prince William and Crown Princess Victoria both heirs to their respective thrones, they share a unique connection, poised to continue the strong relationship between the two royal families. Later in the day, the couples are set to attend the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London, where Cher will headline the event, joined by Swedish pop star Zara Larsson and performances from British singer Paloma Faith and pianist Lang Lang.

Prince William and Kate welcoming the Swedish Princess and Prince to Windsor Castle.

The Swedish royals are no strangers to the British royal family, having attended William and Kate’s wedding in 2011, and the British couple visited them in 2018. They likely also crossed paths earlier this year when Princess Victoria joined her father, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, for King Charles’ coronation in May.

The two royal couples at Windsor Castle on Thursday.

On their first day in the U.K., Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel kicked off their visit with a lighthearted stop at The Three Blackbirds pub in Newmarket, where Victoria tried her hand at pouring a draft beer. They also explored local pub culture and met with the owner before heading to a training camp for Ukrainian soldiers in eastern England, where Swedish military personnel are delivering training as part of the U.K.-led Operation Interflex.

Princess Kate and Prince William at Windsor Castle today.

This visit reinforces the longstanding friendship between the British and Swedish royal families, with both couples continuing to build on their shared commitment to strengthening international relations and cultural exchanges.