The Royal Family won’t be sad to have seen the back of 2021. With the fallout from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s bombshell interview with Oprah, the ongoing scandal surrounding Prince Andrew and his friendship with the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, and the death of Prince Philip, it was an undoubtedly difficult year for the family. But with Andrew now fighting to get Virginia Giuffre’s sexual assault case dismissed from court (Andrew, who denies the claims, has contended that a settlement between Epstein and Giuffre bars her from suing him), 2022 is not starting off much brighter, either.
Behind the scenes, however, and on the world’s stage, there has been somebody getting the family through: the Duchess of Cambridge, who turned 40 this month. The role Kate has carved for herself, as a well-respected and hard-working royal, is now more important than ever for the family as it struggles with various very public issues. When it comes to Andrew causing major concerns and crisis talks behind the scenes, Kate has demonstrated everything that the Queen wants to see in the family: a personification of duty and an understanding of what the monarchy stands for.
Meanwhile, Kate has always been incredibly close to Harry, and she’s been instrumental in trying to get things back on track between William and Harry after their falling out became public in 2019, prior to Meghan and Harry’s official exit from the royal family. At Philip’s funeral, it was Kate who engineered the brothers talking on the walk back to Windsor Castle. And it is Kate who ensures the brothers FaceTime on important occasions, such as birthdays and Christmas, when she sent gifts for Archie and Lilibet to LA.
And, in a year where the Queen lost her beloved husband, Kate has ensured there’s been plenty of contact between Her Majesty and her great-grandchildren; in August, she kept the last weekend free for a family get-together at Balmoral with the Queen and all William’s cousins and their families. Royal insiders also understand that the Cambridges are considering a move to Windsor, to be closer to her and potentially set up their own future court.
Starting the year with her 40th milestone, 2022 could be one of Kate’s most exciting years yet. She’s in her stride work-wise, having realised her long-held mission to make early years the cornerstone of her work. Her hugely successful campaign focuses on her belief that the first five years of life are critical for future life outcomes. In June last year, Kate announced the launch of The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood.
Even with such a workload, the Duchess continues to prioritise her family. When she married William, one of the things they agreed on was that she would remain close to the Middletons. This Christmas, the couple spent the festive period with Carole and Michael, who stayed at Anmer Hall, and all the Middletons were there to support Kate at Westminster Abbey, where she showed off her amazing piano skills and sheer guts when she performed like a professional in front of the world.
In the past year, we have seen and heard more from Kate, which is part of a carefully thought-out plan by Palace aides to promote the duchess. And, while Kate has stepped up, her priority remains her young family. She is a hands-on mother to Charlotte, George and Louis, structuring her day around the school run and being at home for tea and bath time. After 10 years of marriage, her relationship with William is stronger than ever, too. That’s not to say there haven’t been ups and downs, but she has remained fiercely loyal and, more than ever, William truly appreciates having her by his side.
During the past decade, Kate has shown the public her work ethic and down-to-earth personality. Over the past couple of years, there has been a deliberate shift, too, which has seen the Cambridges more open and willing to share some of their family life with the public. From allowing us to see more of their children, to celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary with an intimate clip of them as a family – which went viral on their new YouTube channel – it’s clear that the Cambridges are shaking things up and being the royals they want to be.
‘Now that the children are a bit older, they feel it’s appropriate to share more of them,’ explains a former aide. It was Kate’s idea to take pictures of their children for the media, which has proven to be a great success, and she has been instrumental in persuading William to let his guard down when it comes to his family, according to one close friend. ‘She calls the shots more than most people think,’ says the source.
And Kate continues to surprise us. Whether it’s dazzling at the Bond premiere in a glittering Jenny Packham dress or stealing the show at the Royal Carol Concert, there’s a sense that the best is yet to come from Kate.
While the Sussexes’ abrupt departure from the royal family has been unimaginably hard for William and Kate, it has, in some ways, proven to be a real opportunity for them. They have left their stamp on 2021; they’ve been high profile, visible, and have taken on and launched important initiatives.
So what can we expect from Kate in 2022? It’s thought that the Cambridges will travel extensively on behalf of the Queen in her jubilee year. And with William also turning 40 in June, there could be a joint birthday celebration. I believe William wants to do something very special to thank Kate for her love, support and loyalty – particularly during the past two years.
It might have been Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, who had a New Year’s honour bestowed on her, but it will only be a matter of time before Kate’s service is also recognised by the Queen, who has been impressed by her tenacity and commitment to The Firm. Not one for big accolades, Kate will always downplay her role, but privately she is very aware of her place in the family, as a future Princess of Wales and future queen. It’s a role she’s determined to make a success of – with a genuine smile on her face. That’s what sets her apart. And that’s what has made people admire her.
_‘Kate The Future Queen’_by Katie Nicholl is out now