As Kate Middleton returns to royal duties, she can’t escape the pressure of being England’s queen consort one day.
“Her priority and thoughts are keeping her family well and safe, as well as forging ahead as the relatable and relevant future queen,” British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital.
“Princess Catherine is prepared for the current working shift,” Chard claimed. “As the statesman, Prince William is center stage and working on his soft diplomacy skills. His diplomatic missions designed to boost UK ties [will] mean more travel… Princess Catherine knew exactly what her role would be when marrying into the royal family. She has all the fitting attributes, seamlessly transitioning into her role over many years.”
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“She receives support from her family and learned from the very best, the late Queen Elizabeth II,” Chard added.
Chard’s claims came shortly after royal insiders recently spoke to People magazine for their cover story on the Princess of Wales. In it, they claimed that the mother of three has been “managing the growing expectations tied to her future role as queen.” They noted it’s “a responsibility that now feels more pressing than ever.”
Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital that as King Charles III continues to battle an undisclosed form of cancer, all eyes are on Kate and William to lead the monarchy’s future.
“King Charles is looking his age now and his illness has taken its toll,” said Turner about the 76-year-old. “A new era of [a] young monarchy is set to take over the mantle in the future.
“The pressure of being the Princess of Wales, looking after a young family, being by William’s side, still recovering from cancer treatments, as well as the mental trauma she faced still weighs heavily on Kate. But she seems to be smiling throughout, delighting crowds when seen in public, and giving a new confidence to the future monarchy.”
Kate is known as one of the most famous, photographed and talked-about women in the world. But behind palace doors, she fought a very personal battle.
In March of last year, after sparking concern due to her absence from the public eye, Kate disclosed that she was being treated for an unspecified form of cancer. Six weeks before her revelation, Buckingham Palace announced that Charles was receiving treatment for cancer.
In September, Kate announced she had completed chemotherapy and would be making some public appearances in the coming months.
“Catherine is prioritizing her health and family as she recovers from a truly traumatic year, which William has described as ‘brutal,’” royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital.
“It has, as illness knows no boundaries, enabled her to link with other sufferers and, in moving video messages, communicate in a unique way. However, her commitment to a future as our queen is total. She and William make an ideal team, whether on tour together or enjoying a bit of sporting rivalry.”
“Their popularity, both at home and abroad, is phenomenal and rightly so,” he said. “There is also her influence on fashion, which should not be downplayed. She is in an ideal partnership with William in very testing times for the Western world. The monarchy has a special role to play as things evolve.”
Turner claimed that as Kate thinks about her future as queen, she’s been getting plenty of support from three women.
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“Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, is one former PR stalwart she can totally rely on for advice,” said Turner. “Princess Anne has a huge royal role these days in working with the king [closely]. No doubt, behind the scenes, she, too, gives guidance.
“Queen Camilla… also comes from a non-royal background and is a wonderful example of how she treats everyone with great respect, dignity and diplomacy. Thus, she is another shining example for Kate to follow.”
Still, William is always on hand to guide Kate in what will be one of the greatest roles of her life.
“William, now a practiced royal professional, will create the extra guidance Kate needs to fulfill this enormous task ahead,” said Turner.
Royal expert Hilary Fordwich claimed to Fox News Digital that the king greatly admires his “beloved” daughter-in-law and cheers her on behind the scenes as she continues to take on royal duties in the new year.
“The royal family, particularly King Charles III, have embraced her,” said Fordwich. “There is a universal admiration for her. Sophie is also a steady and strong mentor. Sophie, also with a non-royal background, has successfully navigated royal life and, likewise, has never put a foot wrong, so her guidance is a great asset.”
“[The royal family feels] Princess Catherine is handling the pressures of her royal duties with grace and dignity,” Fordwich shared. “Her quiet confidence, resilience and relatability have rendered her beloved by the public, topping the popularity polls on both sides of the Atlantic and throughout the Commonwealth… She’s now extremely comfortable and relaxed in her role.”
“She never complains but rather carries on with her great roles to make generational changes with her early years care projects,” Fordwich continued. “She’s deeply committed to improving life chances for those with a tough start in life, a huge element of development in the first four years of life.”
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Palace insiders told People magazine that they’ve been surprised by Kate’s approach to royal duties. Some had speculated that she would keep her public appearances limited as she focuses on her recovery. However, she has “defied expectations” with several solo engagements early this year.
“She is the MVP of the royal family, and no one knew when she was going to come back,” royal historian Amanda Foreman told the outlet.
Still, the outlet noted that the palace continues to “exercise caution.” They have chosen to announce her appearances closer to the time while emphasizing that her recovery is their top priority.
“She has been very good at managing expectations, and it’s wise for her to downplay it a bit because when she does more than people anticipated, it has a greater impact,” royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith told the outlet. “It’s evident that she is feeling closer to 100 percent than one would have thought at this stage.”
The outlet also reported that there’s been “a shift” in how Kate now wants to be perceived. Earlier this year, The Sunday Times initially reported that Kensington Palace will cut back on naming the clothing designers Princess Kate chooses to wear while participating in royal duties.
A spokesperson for the palace told the outlet, “There is an absolute feeling that [the public work] is not about what the princess is wearing.”
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“She wants the focus to be on the really important issues, the people and the causes she is spotlighting,” the story continued. “There will always be an appreciation of what the princess is wearing from some of the public, and she gets that. But do we need to be officially always saying what she is wearing? No. The style is there, but it’s about the substance.”
However, Kensington Palace clarified the statement nearly a week later after the move sparked controversy.
The palace’s decision not to release details was criticized, as Kate’s outfit choices tend to shine a light on British fashion designers and the fashion industry itself.
Kensington Palace later said there was “no change” in the approach to Kate’s fashion policy.
“Over the last week, I have received numerous questions about a story regarding The Princess of Wales’s clothing and how Kensington Palace shares information about her outfits,” a Kensington Palace spokesperson told People magazine.
“To clarify, the comments that appeared in the article were from me, not The Princess of Wales,” the statement continued. “The comments that were reported should not be directly attributed to The Princess of Wales. To be clear, there has been no change in our approach to sharing information about Her Royal Highness’s clothing.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Kensington Palace at the time.
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Chard told Fox News Digital that there’s one other rule that hasn’t changed as Kate focuses on her health and future – the old motto of keep calm and carry on.
“Self-assured Princess Catherine has dedicated herself to a life of service, lighting up every public occasion with renewed purpose,” said Chard. “Both Prince William and Princess Catherine have endured the hardest year of their lives due to Catherine’s ill health. However, they have emerged far stronger and focused, embracing their roles with clarity, energy, heart and tenacity.”
“Compared to last year, future service feels like a breeze in the park for Princess Catherine,” said Chard. “There is talk of mounting pressure on Princess Catherine’s shoulders as she ramps up her role as Queen Catherine. However, there is no particular worry weighing her down. Princess Catherine does not entertain anything trivial. She is… much loved and championed by all the key royal players.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
