Kate’s feeling the strain: Shock demands, Palace in crisis and why Wills has monarchy on his mind
Is our tired Duchess feeling the strain?
Millions of eyes were turned to last week’s flypast for the RAF centenary. But another surprise came in the form of the Duchess of Cambridge’s appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony.
Kate, 36, is not due to resume official duties until September. So her attendance came as a shock, especially as it’d been rumoured she’d take a longer maternity leave with Louis, after feeling she returned to work too quickly with George and Charlotte.
Perhaps Kate felt she must drag herself away from her baby as, since 2015, she’s been an Honorary Air Commandant, taking over from Prince Philip, 97.
Kate looked smart in an Alexander McQueen coat dress with a special RAF brooch, but she also appeared strained and exhausted. And no wonder. For ‘ handson mum’ Kate, the shock demands of three children may be taking their toll!
‘Having supported William for all the years while she was an RAF wife, it was important to Kate,’ royal correspondent Katie Nicholl tells best. ‘Kate knows what’s expected of her – she proved that within hours of giving birth, showing her baby to the world before retreating to enjoy being a mother behind closed doors.
‘It’s always a struggle trying to reconcile their private lives with public roles, but Kate and William seem to manage it.’
Still, onlookers agreed Kate was not her usual self, commenting online that she looked ‘completely washedout’ and ‘tired’.
With the Queen now 92, it makes sense that our monarch will also be slowing down.
Katie Nicholl says, ‘ We have a fit, capable, but ageing monarch, and the Palace would not be responsible if they weren’t making plans for the future. We know the Queen is slowly handing over responsibilities to other family members.’
As future king, William will have monarchy on his mind. While Charles, 69, is next in line to the throne, and with hopefully many more years to come from Her Majesty, William is still seen as the future.
Katie adds, ‘ William has stepped up to the plate. There was a time when he found the weight of duty almost unbearable. But he’s been embracing the role for a while now. Having Kate so committed to her role has taken enormous pressure off him.’
Nonetheless, if there were an air of crisis at the Palace – with the resignation of two of the Queen’s senior media advisors, fears about Prince Philip and the welfare of the Queen should anything happen to her beloved husband – it would be completely understandable.
At least with these capable young royals, we know ‘The Firm’ would be in safe hands.