This trust that the King places in his “darling daughter-in-law” reportedly leads to her frequently being asked for her opinion due to her relatability- showing how far Kate has come since she first joined the Royal Family.
The Princess of Wales has rapidly ascended the Royal ranks, becoming a favourite among the Royal Family due to her sense of humour and evident respect for her role. Even during her cancer treatment, she has displayed nothing but strength and determination.
Kate, once shy and reserved, has transformed into a confident, playful, and occasionally assertive figure, commanding as much public respect as King Charles or Prince William could ever wish for. This trust that the King places in his “darling daughter-in-law” reportedly leads to her frequently being asked for her opinion due to her relatability.
Speaking about Kate’s close position within the family, former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond said: “I think you have to be quite tough to survive and thrive in the Royal Family. It must be easy to be rather intimidated by the hierarchical system of the Palace”, reports OK! Magazine.
She continued: “But Catherine has the advantage of knowing that she will one day be the most senior woman in the family, and indeed in the land. And so she has a right to make her views known about how the institution of monarchy is going to proceed in the years and decades to come.
“She seems to be a woman with a great deal of common sense, and I suspect that she applies that common sense to the dilemmas and difficulties which arise.”
The bond between the Princess and her father-in-law is notably strong, but she also shares a unique friendship with another high-ranking member of the Royal Family.
The Princess of Wales is admired around the world for the respect she has for her role ( Image: AFP via Getty Images)
“I think Queen Camilla and Catherine have drawn strength and inspiration from one another: two women in this extraordinary situation in life, both with the same bizarre destiny,” Jennie comments.
“At the moment I think it is Camilla who is the lynchpin of the monarchy. And with the cancer that has afflicted both Charles and Catherine, it has fallen to Camilla to keep the show on the road. And I think she has gained enormously in confidence and her character and wicked sense of humour now shine through more than ever.
“I don’t really think Catherine showed her the way on this, but I think there is a mutual respect about how they are both helping to make the monarchy more relatable.”
Kate and Camilla are very close ( Image: 2022 Samir Hussein)
Kate initially started her Royal journey in Prince William’s shadow, often appearing shy. However, as a mother-of-three and charity figurehead, her confidence has blossomed and she is now viewed as a modern Royal matriarch.
This expertly-managed rise is something which is richly deserved, according to Jennie, as she compared the way Kate uses her “soft power” to that of her husband’s great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.
Jennie previously told OK! Magazine: “People always used to describe the Queen Mother as ‘steel in a velvet glove’. She was always charming, gentle and much admired. But, she was also the strength behind her husband, George Vl, and at the Palace her opinion counted. I think Kate has some of those same qualities.
The King and the Princess of Wales are incredibly close ( Image: 2024 Karwai Tang)
“She has learned the craft of being royal over a number of years and earned her place as a senior member of the family. Gradually, she has also earned the respect of the public and, I believe, of the rest of the family. We look at her now not just as William’s wife, but as our future Queen.”
There have been several instances where the Princess of Wales ‘ quiet determination to uphold the Royal Family’s reputation has come to light. Following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, it was suggested that Kate played a pivotal role in the famous “recollections may vary” statement issued by Buckingham Palace.
The Princess of Wales is incredibly close with her father-in-law ( Image: Getty Images)
In his book, Low cites a source who stated, “It had a much milder version. The debate was, do you rise entirely above it and offer the olive branch of [Harry and Meghan being] ‘much loved members of the family’? Or is there some moment when you have to intervene and offer a view? ”
Both Prince William and Kate reportedly desired a more assertive statement. An insider revealed, “They were both of one mind that we needed something that said that the institution did not accept a lot of what had been said.”
Once the phrase was incorporated, it was the princess who, as per another source, insisted on its retention.
