She’s been a member of the royal family for over a decade, but it seems that in the last few months, the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, has come into her own more than ever.
Last month, Kate, 40, went on her first overseas royal trip, heading to Denmark on a whirlwind two-day visit to promote her work in early years development.
The photos of her greeting fans, spending time with Princess Mary of Denmark and playing with children delighted fans, with one writing, “She’s the perfect representative of the British royals”.
In an apparent reference to Prince Andrew’s involvement in a US sex scandal, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s shocking departure from the royals and subsequent slurs, one wrote, “After all the royal drama recently, thank God for Kate!”
And royal biographer Duncan Larcombe says Kate’s trip to Copenhagen signified how much the royal family value and trust her, and will continue to do so in years to come.
He says, “It’s rare for members of the royal family to take overseas trips abroad on their own. We saw the Queen do it very occasionally, and Princess Anne, but it’s not common, and all the more poignant considering Kate married into the family. Her heading to Copenhagen alone speaks volumes about how much she is valued. I believe going it alone like this is the start of more responsibility and projects for Kate. She’s the family’s golden ticket right now, as it seems she can’t put a foot wrong.”
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Kate came into the royal fold back in 2004, when she began dating William after meeting at the University of St Andrews – and was initially described as “painfully shy”.
And Duncan – who was there to witness Kate’s first experiences on royal duties – says she is a world away from those days now.
He reveals, “William and Kate rented a place in Anglesey in 2011, a few months after they were married, and I headed up there to accompany them on some engagements. Kate was great, but back then she was shy, uncomfortable in front of a camera and you could sense her nerves and the pressure she felt under.
“She’s a totally different person now. We’ve seen a real coming of age with her. She’s confident, but she still has that shyness, and it comes across as endearing and humble, something that the public love. With Kate, it’s never about her, it’s always about the cause she’s supporting or the event she’s attending. It’s about the people she meets.”
The public have also seen Kate adapt to motherhood, welcoming children George, eight, Charlotte, six, and Louis, three, over the last 10 years, and the couple’s family photo shoots and videos have delighted fans. Kate spoke out during the Covid lockdowns about how she, like thousands of other UK mothers, was struggling with homeschooling.
And she surprised fans when she revealed she was feeling broody last month, saying, “William always worries about me meeting under one-year-olds. I come home saying, ‘Let’s have another one’.”
Check out: 21 celebs who took back their cheating partner
CLOSER Celebrity who took back their cheating partners - slider
1 of 21Danny Dyer and Joanne Mas
Danny Dyer and Joanne Mas' relationship hit a rough patch in 2017 when it was reported that he had a six-week affair with Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding. However they managed to work through it and are back together.
2 of 21Gaz Beadle and Emma McVey
Emma McVey accused Gary Beadle of cheating on her after he brutally dumped her via text. However she later fell pregnant with their first child, they reunited and the happy couple are now engaged and parents of two.
3 of 21Jay Z and Beyoncé
The world was shocked in 2017 when Jay-Z admitted he cheated on his wife and the mother of his children Beyoncé. They've since moved on from the drama and have even released a joint album together.
4 of 21Coleen and Wayne Rooney
They're childhood sweethearts but in 2002 Coleen Rooney discovered Wayne had slept with a 48-year-old nan, there's also been allegations that he cheated with prostitutes Jennifer Thompson and Helen Wood and in 2017 Wayne was arrested for drunk driving and Laura Simpson claimed they kissed. Laura then backtracked during an interview on This Morning and denied that anything went down with Wayne. Despite all the rumours and allegations, Coleen has stuck by her husband and has even shared a brutally honest Facebook post about her marriage.
5 of 21Tess Daly and Vernon Kay
In 2010 it came to light thatVernon Kay had sent 'flirty' texts to Rhian Sugden behind Tess Daly's back. Fast forward to 2016 and he was caught texting the glamour model again. However the TV presenters are still together.
6 of 21Katie Price and Kieran Hayler
We were all shook in 2014 when Katie Price announced husband Kieran Hayler had been cheating on her with her best friend Jane Pountney for seven months. She managed to forgive him and move on but in 2017 she revealed he had been unfaithful again with their children's nanny and a few months later she called it quits after he reportedly cheated again with a 19-year-old co-op worker.
7 of 21Mary Berry and Paul Hunnings
Great British Bake Off legend Mary Berry admitted that she cheated on her current husband Paul Hunnings when they first started dating. However they put it behind them and are still together.
8 of 21Lucy Mecklenburgh and Mario Falcone
While filming for TOWIE Lucy Mecklenburgh admitted that she had been unfaithful with ex-boyfriend Mark Wright during a holiday in Ibiza. Mario Falcone ended their relationship but swiftly took her back and they went on to get engaged but in 2013 they called it quits and have both moved on.
9 of 21Katya and Neil Jones
After Katya Jones was spotted kissing her Strictly partner Seann Walsh, they were both quick to apologise for their actions. Seann's girlfriend dumped him but Neil forgave his wife. However in 2020 they announced they'd split with Neil insisting it was not because of the infamous kiss.
10 of 21Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson
It's one of the Kardashians biggest scandals - Tristan Thompson cheating on Khloe Kardashian days before she was due to give birth to True Thompson. They appeared to work through his betrayal but almost a year later he allegedly kissed Kardashian/Jenner's family friend Jordyn Woods. There's since been speculation that a reunion for Khloe and Tristan could be on the cards.
11 of 21Spencer Matthews and Louise Thompson
Spencer Matthews and Louise Thompson's relationship largely consisted of Spenny cheating while Louise cried her eyes out. She continued to take him back but eventually decided enough was enough and ended it for good.
12 of 21Balthazar Getty and Rosetta
In 2008, Balthazar Getty had an affair with Sienna Miller despite being married to his wife and the mother of his four children Rosetta. Balthazara and Rosetta separated but two years later they got their marriage back on track.
13 of 21Bill Clinton and Hilary Clinton
The Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky scandal is one of the most famous affairs EVER. However his wife Hilary appeared to take it in her stride because they're still married.
14 of 21Alex Mytton and Binky Felstead
Made in Chelsea's Alex Mytton cheated on Binky Felstead several times during their relationship but she kept on taking him back. However she finally ended it when she discovered he had an orgy with Spencer Matthews.
15 of 21Gaz Beadle and Charlotte Crosby
They were the Geordie Shore couple we were all rooting for but Gaz Beadle just couldn't keep it in his pants even when he was with Charlotte Crosby. The final straw for Char was when he slept with Jemma Lucy on Ex on the Beach and [she heartbreakingly suffered an ectopic pregnancy](https://closeronline.co.uk/family/news/ectopic-pregnancy-signs-symptoms-diagnosis/agnosis/).
16 of 21Abbey Clancy and Peter Crouch
Back in 2010 while Abbey Clancy was pregnant with her first child, there were reports that her partner Peter Crouch had an alleged affair with a teenage prostitute. They've since moved on from the reports and are still happily together.
17 of 21Millie Mackintosh and Hugo Taylor
Millie Mackintosh and Hugo Taylor both cheated on each other during their Made in Chelsea days. However they've since reunited, gotten married and in 2020 welcomed their daughter Sienna.
18 of 21Sam Thompson and Tiffany Watson
Sam Thompson and Tiffany Watson were both guilty of cheating and they both kept taking each other back. However they've finally called it quits - thank God.
19 of 21Pete Wicks and Megan McKenna
Megan McKenna forgave Pete Wicks for sexting his ex-girlfriend Jacqui Ryland however she later discovered (while filming TOWIE) that he had sent even more messages. She forgave him but couldn't forget and they later split for good.
20 of 21James Argent and Gemma Collins
In 2012 Gemma Collins accused James Argent of cheating but she seemed to forgive and forget and they've been on/off ever since.
21 of 21Malin Andersson and Tom Kemp
Love Island star Malin Andersson accused her boyfriend Tom Kemp of cheating on her during pregnancy. However they managed to get through it and got back together. They since split.
And Duncan tells Closer, “I think becoming a mum has been the making of Kate. You can see when she works with kids, she looks at home and relaxed. And I think her role as a mum with her three children is something the public love. I certainly think she’ll have another baby – there was always talk of four, and there were rumours that the couple were trying for another in the autumn.
“She and William, and their little family, are the image that I think the royals would do best putting forward. I think they are the future of the monarchy.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s departure from the royal family in 2020 – as well as Prince Andrew stepping back from duties after being accused of sexual assault by American Virginia Giuffre, which was settled out of court last month – has meant that other members of the family have had to step up and take on more roles in recent years. Kate, for example, announced her position as the new Patron Of The RFU and the Rugby Football League– something Prince Harry had previously been.
There have also been rumours of plans to streamline the monarchy, so that only those directly in line to the throne, and their families, would take on royal duties.
And Duncan says he believes that – as well as Kate herself being a great representative for the royal family – this is why much of the future of the royal family lies firmly in her hands.
He says, “While it may seem that royal work – like opening a school or visiting a charity – is on a small scale, much of our country’s relationships with other countries rely on the royal visits and the diplomatic work they do. And Kate is the perfect representative for this.
“She is the key to the success of the royals in the future. William is too, but I think she makes him more popular and appealing.
“I think we’ll see Kate taking more responsibility and doing more solo events, but also doing more with William, presenting them as a solid and reliable team. Later this year they have their Caribbean trip, so we’ll see a great example of the good they can do there.”