HOW DUCHESS IS NOW KEY
FROM a fairy-tale wedding to the sadness of a royal funeral, the Duchess of Cambridge has witnessed a remarkable first decade in The Firm.
As a beaming bride, Kate thrilled millions glued to TVs across the globe on April 29, 2011.
With the London Olympics on the horizon and the upcoming Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, her love story with Prince William was the icing on a perfect cake.
But by the time the family said farewell to Prince Philip last weekend, much water had passed under the royal bridge – and many tears had been shed.
And this makes the calmness and dignity shown by Kate all the more important.
For through it all, and as they approach their milestone 10th anniversary this week, she and husband Prince William have remained a much-needed source of stability at the heart of the troubled House of Windsor.
Her role as a core member of the family was cemented at Philip’s Windsor Castle funeral.
HEALING
This was not just in her delicate bringing together of warring brothers William and Harry but also in what onlookers saw as her deepening relationship with Prince Charles and the Queen.
Pictures showed the Duchess tenderly kissing father-in-law Charles on the cheek as he grieved for his father, while she wore an elegant pearl choker belonging to Her Majesty.
One royal source suggests Kate’s close bond with her own family could prove vital to healing the rift between William and Harry – using her more ordinary upbringing and family relationships as a blueprint for how things ought to be.
Relations between the Duke of Sussex and the royals hit a new low after his bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview with wife Meghan – which included allegations of racism, abandonment and tiffs.
But many believe Kate can now be key to the family’s healing.
A source said: “Behind the scenes, she is the glue holding a lot of it together. She’s not one for drama, but more so the listener who will come up with a plan of action. Perhaps she will be the uniting force for the brothers to heal their divide.
“She wouldn’t want things to carry on the way they are, despite the things that have been said.
“Kate has always enjoyed such a fabulous relationship with her own family. She speaks to her parents, brother and sister all the time, so it’s second nature. And she doesn’t
MIDDLETONS Kate, sis Pippa and mum Carole see why
William and her children shouldn’t have that as well.” With the Duke of Edinburgh’s death leaving a void, the younger royals are now preparing to take on more duties.
And Kate, 39, is set not only to carry on her work alongside her husband but to expand her own projects and engagements – just as Philip did over many years in his role as consort.
One Palace staffer said: “Without a doubt, we are in a
period of change. Arguably change at the top, with the Queen handing over more responsibilities to the Prince of Wales and, of course, William. What does that mean for Kate?
“It means she will be even more front and centre, and what you’ve seen over the past year or two is that she definitely has grown in confidence in order to do that.
IMPACT
“With the Duke and Duchess of Sussex out of the picture, and never likely to return, one would think this is their time.
“At one stage they may have thought that they were being over-burdened but in reality they have a clear run.
“They can work on the projects they want to and which they feel
PROUD MUM With William and the kids
can make the most impact.
But they can also carry on the work of the monarchy in their own way, upholding the values of those who came before them while making it relevant for a new generation. It’s going to be a very exciting time.”
Kate and William’s love story famously began back in their student days, when they met at St Andrew’s University.
While they kept things under wraps in the early days, once the news was out in 2004 hopes were high that the prince would marry the girl from Berkshire.
While she wasn’t quite your average commoner, privatelyeducated, sports-mad Kate was sufficiently ordinary to make the public love her. A brief split in 2007 left royal watchers and Kate
Perhaps she will be the uniting force for Wills and Harry to heal their divide ROYAL SOURCE REVEALING KATE’S INCREASING INFLUENCE