Kate Middleton Makes Prince William a Better Man, William’s Biographer Writes

It’s Prince William who will one day be king, but it’s his wife Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, who has helped him become more relatable and is his most trusted adviser, royal expert Robert Jobson says.

Lest we forget, in addition to the milestone celebrations of the Platinum Jubilee—marking Her Majesty’s historic 70 years on the throne—June will bring about another milestone in the royal family: William’s fortieth birthday on June 21.

To mark the occasion Jobson, a longtime royal reporter, has penned William at 40: The Making of a Modern Monarch, (opens in new tab) out June 9 in the U.K. and July 25 in the U.S. In the book, Jobson praises Kate for her positive influence, writing “as crisis followed crisis, smiling Catherine hasn’t put a foot wrong.”

Since meeting William as freshmen at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in 2001—she was first his friend, then his roommate, then his girlfriend before getting engaged in 2010 and marrying in 2011—Kate’s confidence has grown over time, Jobson says. “Every step of the way, Catherine has put duty first,” he says, per The Sun. And, beneath her soft smile, there’s “a tigress, passionate about her husband and a modern woman who will fight tooth and nail for her family.”

In addition to her own growth, Kate has made William a better man, Jobson says.

“With Catherine at his side, the prince seems more assured, their chemistry clear for all to see,” he says. “Her influence over William, whose presentation in the past used to be somewhat stiff and a little nervy, has helped him become more relatable, to be more himself. His sense of humor and warmth is now visible.”

We’ve seen Kate and William together constantly this weekend, on the balcony for Trooping the Colour, at the Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen at St. Paul’s Cathedral, in Wales to visit Cardiff Castle, and at the Platinum Party at the Palace.

“Not only is she William’s most trusted adviser, she is someone who puts family and duty above all else,” Jobson writes.