The Queen Is "Preparing a Surprise" to Honor Kate Middleton on Her 10-Year Anniversary as a Royal, Expert Says

• Later this year, in honor of her 10-year wedding anniversary, Kate Middleton (opens in new tab) may receive a special honor from the Queen.
• Royal expert Duncan Larcombe (opens in new tab) predicts that the monarch is "planning a special secret something to honor Kate's 10 years in the royal family—something she can do to mark it."
• In 2019, Kate and Prince William's eighth anniversary, the Queen made Kate a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, one of the highest honors available from the Queen.

Kate Middleton (opens in new tab) might have a very special royal honor coming her way later this year, if one expert's predictions are correct.

The prediction comes courtesy of royal expert Duncan Larcombe, who believes that the Queen (opens in new tab) herself is working on a special way to honor Kate later this year—specifically in April, when she and Prince William (opens in new tab) celebrate their 10-year wedding anniversary (opens in new tab).

"It’s highly likely she’ll be planning a special secret something to honor Kate’s 10 years in the royal family—something she can do to mark it," Larcombe explained in an interview with OK! magazine (opens in new tab).

According to the Daily Mail (opens in new tab), this wouldn't be the first time the Queen went out of her way to honor Kate for her service in the royal family. In 2019, on Will and Kate's eighth anniversary, the Queen made Kate a Dame Grand Cross (opens in new tab) of the Royal Victorian Order. Royal Victorian Order awards are made personally by the Queen and are the highest honor the monarch has to bestow on behalf of the crown. Since Kate has already received this prestigious honor, it's unclear what the Queen might be planning for later this year, but Larcombe expects something special to be coming for the Duchess of Cambridge (opens in new tab).

"Kate and the Queen have a fantastic relationship," he explained. "Kate strikes that balance between bowing to her as head of the royal family in public but being able to check in with her as the great-grandmother to her children."

Larcombe added that it was reportedly Kate who taught the Queen how to video chat (opens in new tab), a skill that has allowed her to keep in touch with her family—including her great-grandchildren—during the coronavirus pandemic.

Whether the Queen does something publicly to honor and thank Kate this year or not, we're sure she's made her gratitude very clear on a personal level, which is what ultimately counts.