Kate’s Getting the Crown!
IN A STUNNING ANNOUNCEMENT, QUEEN ELIZABETH II CHOOSES KATE MIDDLETON TO SUCCEED HER
It was a huge honor. In late June, Queen Elizabeth II bestowed a new title on granddaughter-in-law Kate Middleton: Prince William’s wife was named the patron of the Royal Photographic Society — a prestigious patronage founded by the queen’s ancestors Queen Victoria and Prince Albert that the 93-year-old monarch herself had held for the last 67 years.
But little did everyone know the queen had just given Kate even bigger news. Much bigger. “Elizabeth adores Kate and told her in May that she will be the next queen,” a source tells In Touch exclusively. That means Elizabeth’s eldest child and rightful heir, Prince Charles, who at 70 is the oldest and longest serving heir apparent in British history, and his wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, would be passed over in favor of naming Charles’ son, William, king and
Kate as his queen "Elizabeth has been grooming her for quite some time now — in the queen’s eyes, Kate is intelligent, warm, professional and understands the role and responsibilities of a royal. She is loved by the public and will change the monarchy forever.”
GAME OF THRONES
William, it turns out, picked the right woman not only to be the mother of his three children but to help lead his country. The queen has come to realize — especially amid increasing public criticism of the nation’s ancient and publicly funded monarchy — that William and Kate, both 37, just make sense. “They’re drama-free and mature beyond their years,” says the source. “Elizabeth also thinks that Charles is too old to take on the throne. It makes more
sense for William to go straight to being king.”
Royals insiders have been speculating for years that this could happen. “The queen has so much admiration for Kate,” says the source. “It’s not easy making the transition from being a civilian to marrying into the royal family and taking on a fresh set of responsibilities and rules, but Kate took it all in stride and never once complained. After marrying William [in 2011], she made such an effort to adapt to royal life, and all her hard work has paid off.”
THE OBVIOUS CHOICE
The queen has long respected the Duchess of Cambridge’s discretion and quiet strength, says the source. “Kate and Elizabeth have always had a special bond and developed a deeper friendship after she and William moved a few years ago from [their country home] Anmer Hall to Kensington Palace,” which is within walking distance of Buckingham Palace, where the queen lives. “Kate frequently visits her there. Sometimes they’ll casually catch up over afternoon tea, and now they’ll have more formal meetings where the queen will give intense one-on-one training about taking on the crown.”
Kate knew it would happen one day, just not this soon. Ever since Elizabeth made the stunning announcement in May (see box at left), she has stepped things up considerably. “She even set up a secret meeting at Buckingham Palace between Kate and Boris Johnson,” the country’s controversial and conservative newly named prime minister, just before Elizabeth headed off to her summer home, Balmoral, says the source. “Kate was excited to spend time with him discussing the future of the country.”
A BIG BLOW
Though Camilla, 72, has proven herself to be a loving and supportive partner to Charles, the stain of their cheating scandal — they carried on an affair for years before he and
Diana finally divorced — will forever haunt the monarchy. “Kate’s the first woman in years who’s married into the royal family without bringing any baggage or drama with her, unlike Camilla, who’s never really lost her reputation as a ‘husband stealer,’ ” says the source.
Perhaps surprisingly, Charles isn’t as devastated or shocked as many might assume about being passed over. “When William broke the news to his father over a beer, he wasn’t surprised,” says the source. Plus, “now that he’s a pensioner [what Americans call a senior citizen], in some ways he likes the idea of taking it easy and traveling the world with his wife.” Camilla, on the other hand, is “absolutely furious,” adds the source. “She envisioned herself in the role as queen and is insulted that Elizabeth has chosen Kate over her.”
Meanwhile, the spare heir — William’s brother, Prince Harry, 34 — and wife Meghan Markle, 38, are happy for Kate. But deep down, “Meghan’s jealous that Kate will be stepping into the queen’s shoes earlier than expected,” claims the source. The former Suits actressturned-Duchess of Sussex “secretly believes she has a better skill set to take on the position and would make a better queen than Kate!”
A NEW MONARCHY
But Elizabeth has come to realize that Kate brings something special and rare to the royal family: a different perspective. “Since Kate comes from a middle-class English family, Elizabeth relies on her to get ‘an outsider’s perspective’ on improving and modernizing the monarchy,” explains the source, adding that Kate already has some specific plans. “She wants people to be able to relate to the royal family more, much like they related to Princess Diana. Kate wants more transparency between the people and the royal family. And, of course, she will be focusing more and more on charity work and highlighting how people can be more involved.
In the coming months, expect more evidence of Kate’s strengthening relationship with the queen to emerge. “The two of them will be stepping out together a lot more,” says the source. “Kate and William are also set to attend more public engagements and will become more involved in their charity work.”
As they look ahead to the future, the couple are realizing how right it all feels. “The queen’s announcement has brought William and Kate closer together,” says the source. “They’re a great team and have everything it takes to be great leaders.” ◼
KATE CAN’T WAIT TO BE QUEEN AND MAKE POSITIVE CHANGES”
— A SOURCE