Kate is the glue that will hold the royals together
herself bereft. But a reconciliation months later added a romantic element of “meant-to-be” to their relationship and the world later swooned at their Westminster Abbey wedding.
Just two years later, Kate stood on the steps of the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, hours after giving birth to Prince George in July 2013.
She did the same in 2015 when Princess Charlotte was born and again when her youngest, Prince Louis, arrived in 2018. He was three last week and, typically of Kate and Wills, they released a gorgeous picture of him on his first day at pre-school.
And it is in her role as a mother that Kate really found her voice, using her platform to champion the needs of children and parents.
Another royal source said: “Becoming a mother has been such an important part of her life and of course her experiences have been enriched immeasurably by the privilege she enjoys.
“However, with that she has decided to work towards making the fundamentals of children’s lives better.
“Her work with the 5 Big Questions on the Under 5s has been heralded as a game changer and it’s only the beginning. Not many people had heard of baby banks, outside those that rely on them, before the Duchess got involved. After working on a project secretly for several months, she was able to bring together 19 British brands and retailers to donate over 10,000 new items to more than 40 baby banks nationwide.
“This is the type of thing making a difference to the most marginalised people in communities and that’s where her heart lies.” Despite the confidence she now possesses, royal insiders stress it has taken years of hard work for Kate to get to where she is – making the position she has earned as a senior royal all the more credible and secure.
“In the beginning she was very content to listen and learn,” said a former Palace staffer, who worked with the Duchess during her formative years as a royal. “She wanted to get the right grounding, the right feel for the job and the role. You could obviously tell she knew this was a job for life and that you definitely didn’t need to hit the ground running with all the risks of you falling flat on your face.”
Now 10 years into the role and with barely a hair out of place, Kate is moving confidently to the next stage of her life as a royal in preparation for one day taking on the role of Queen consort.
She has been a rock for William, 38, through the troubles of recent years.
And while other couples may have succumbed to the pressure, Prince William and “Catherine the Great” have simply gone from strength to strength.
That is something to reassure not only supporters of the monarchy but the family and the institution itself.
She will be even more front and centre... she has grown in confidence PALACE STAFFER ON HOW KATE WILL PLAY BIGGER ROLE