Princess Kate Is "Allergic to Any PR Gimmicks" and Takes Inspiration From This Unexpected Royal as She Prepares to be Queen

Kate Middleton might not have grown up knowing she'd be the future Queen, but she's had nearly 20 years to prepare for the role. The Princess of Wales, who met Prince William as a student at the University of St. Andrews in 2001, married the future King on April 29, 2011. Ahead of their 14th wedding anniversary, a variety of sources who know the couple have reflected on what Prince William will be like as King—and the role that Kate will take on alongside her husband.

According to the Times, the Princess of Wales "has always seen her role as a supporting one." In fact, she's said to have looked up to the late Prince Philip, "who made an individual contribution while being very clear that his role was to support the monarch." An insider told the outlet that similar to the Duke of Edinburgh, Kate is "hugely influential behind the scenes," adding, "like the late Queen and Prince Philip, and The King and Queen, they’re a good double act."

Princess Kate, who grew up in a middle class family, is keen on giving her kids everyday experiences as much as possible—but this also extends to her husband. "For Kate, that means acting as a gatekeeper to ensure that William can do his work while also finding time to be a hands-on father, and that everyone understands that this is the deal," the Times reported. The down-to-earth Princess of Wales is also "said to be allergic to any PR gimmicks—and there have been several—that have been suggested to her over the years."

According to sources close to the couple, it was Kate's idea to record a video of herself delivering the news that she had cancer in March 2024. In September, she was behind the plan to film a highly personal video with Prince William and their three kids (along with their dog, Orla, and parents Carole and Michael Middleton) announcing she'd completed chemotherapy.

A royal insider told the Times that the three words he thinks of when it comes to the Prince of Wales are "normal, private, control." The source added, "These are the things he wants: as normal a life as possible; private time for his family; and control over how he organizes his life and work. Kate is just as strong on control and privacy as him."

While there are times when the couple can't be in control (like the recent paparazzi pictures that were taken of the Wales family skiing), the source noted that William and Kate "are very tight, very close, very strong, and cancer has made them closer and stronger, which is very common in families facing these challenges."