The Princess of Wales<\/a> proved the Earl of Wessex<\/a> is firmly in the royal fold as they shared a sweet interaction at the family’s spring get-together on Sunday.<\/p>\n Kate,\u00a044, was seen putting\u00a0James Mountbatten-Windsor, 18, at ease as they warmly chatted outside\u00a0St George\u2019s Chapel in\u00a0<\/span>Windsor Castle before entering the Easter Matins service led by the King and Queen.<\/span><\/p>\n In footage shared online after the occasion, the Princess is seen turning towards Prince Edward and the Duchess of Edinburgh’s son with a smile before sharing an animated conversation with him.<\/span><\/p>\n James, who was handed a more prominent role at the Royal Family’s traditional event, walking closely behind the Prince and Princess of Wales as they arrived for the service, appeared\u00a0equally keen to talk to his cousin-in-law.<\/span><\/p>\n Kate and her husband Prince William were also joined at the outing by\u00a0their children Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and seven-year-old Prince Louis.<\/span><\/p>\n Fans were delighted by the two royals’ ‘sweet’ exchange, with one writing on X: ‘<\/span>James seems uncomfortable at these occasions, nice to see Catherine making him feel at ease.<\/p>\n ‘Love how close the Waleses and Edinburgh<\/a> families are,’ said another. ‘Catherine is truly so loving. James, Earl of Wessex, is such a sweet, young shy man. She just has a way of putting everyone at ease,’ insisted a third.<\/p>\n A fourth wrote: ‘The Princess of Wales will be a good guide for the young royals. She\u2019s so down to earth I think they will feel at ease in her presence,’ before another fan said: ‘This is so sweet.’<\/p>\n The Princess of Wales proved the Earl of Wessex is firmly in the royal fold as they shared a sweet interaction (pictured) at the family’s spring get-together on Sunday<\/p>\n<\/div>\n James has previously been dubbed the ‘hidden royal’ \u2013 having missed occasions with his wider family in the past while concentrating on his schooling. But on Sunday, the Earl proved he’s firmly in the royal fold.<\/p>\n Joining his father, the Duke of Edinburgh, the royal walked closely behind the Waleses before chatting with Kate outside the chapel.<\/p>\n His sister, Lady Louise Windsor, 22, remained at St Andrews University to concentrate on her studies, while their mother, Sophie was reportedly set to attend the Easter<\/a> service but was forced to pull out due to feeling ‘under the weather’.<\/p>\n Following his 18th birthday in December, much speculation emerged over the Earl’s future as a royal, with both he and his sister growing up without HRH titles.<\/p>\n The youngest grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II is viewed as one of the most enigmatic members of the royal family<\/a>, largely because his parents went to great lengths to give both their children a \u2018normal\u2019 upbringing.<\/p>\n Last year, writing in his Palace Confidential newsletter, the Daily Mail’s Diary Editor Richard Eden expressed how the growing contribution from Edward and Sophie’s children could be of great value to the Royal Family.<\/p>\n He wrote:\u00a0‘When Prince William<\/a> becomes King, I hope that he will follow the example of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, and ask his cousins, including Lady Louise and James, to share royal duties with him.<\/p>\n ‘Hopefully, William will realise that a “slimmed-down” monarchy wouldn\u2019t safeguard the institution, as some claim, but would\u00a0lead to its irrelevance and eventual death<\/a>.<\/p>\n Kate, 44, was seen putting James Mountbatten-Windsor, 18, at ease as they warmly chatted outside St George\u2019s Chapel\u00a0 before entering the Easter Matins service\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Joining his father, the Duke of Edinburgh, James was captured joyfully chatting with the Princess of Wales outside the chapel\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n ‘What better way to build on its strengths than with an injection of energy from young people who have had values of public service and duty instilled in them from birth?’<\/p>\n James, who is 16th in line to the throne, falling from eighth after Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie expanded their families,<\/span>\u00a0is currently completing his studies at the prestigious Radley College in Oxfordshire.<\/p>\n And while his sister has started stepping out at royal events more often, James has kept rather a low profile \u2013 until now.\u00a0<\/p>\n Yet royal commentators know little about whether James will follow the footsteps of his older sister\u00a0and attend the University of St Andrews, or step into the public arena as a working royal after his A-levels.<\/p>\n His mother\u2019s own words echo that uncertainty, with Sophie once admitting she could clearly see the path her daughter was taking but remained unsure what her son might ultimately choose.<\/p>\n \u2018Louise is working hard and will do A-levels. I hope she goes to university. I wouldn\u2019t force her, but if she wants to. She\u2019s quite clever, so I think probably,\u2019 Sophie told The Times in 2020. \u2018Whereas James I don\u2019t know,\u2019 she added.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sophie also told the newspaper that the siblings\u00a0are free to adopt HRH titles once they turn 18<\/a>, but noted it was ‘highly unlikely\u2019 they would do so, in what has been an accurate prediction for Lady Louise.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Kate,](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2026\/04\/08\/09\/107735771-15715055-image-m-4_1775638215730.jpg\")
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