How Duchess Kate Is Following In Prince Philip Footsteps
One of Kate’s biggest strengths is the strong relationship she has with her husband Prince William. It is something that will be a big plus when she become Queen in the future.
“In one sense hers and William’s was a modern royal marriage, in that it was a love match,” Sarah Gristwood, author of Elizabeth: The Queen and the Crown, says while speaking with People Magazine.
“But in another it has been old-fashioned. She mostly appears as a supportive figure to her husband.”
The supportive role is very important to the future monarch. Kate has become, of course, a star in her own right, but she has always known her place within the royal family.
“She’s never trying to outshine him in any way,” says royal biographer Penny Junor. “I think that Kate is a bit like Prince Philip supporting the Queen. She doesn’t outshine William but still has a lot to say herself.”
During her time as a full-time royal, Kate has grown into one of the most important and widely known members of the royal family, supporting and creating all kinds of causes on a variety of topics.
“Catherine is the sort of woman who will take on whatever she needs to,” says a close source. “If she needs to step up to the plate, she does it—and she always has. She and William are a formidable team.”
Her most recent project, “Hold Still“, a photography project launched amid the global pandemic, earned her praise from most. Another fairly new project she took part in was “5 Big Questions”, a early-childhood survey which saw her tackle multiple solo stops across the U.K. earlier this year.
William has never shied away from telling the world how he relies on Kate for support. In May, the Prince shared how he and his wife would tackle all kinds of challenges together.
“Me and Catherine, particularly, we support each other and we go through those moments together and we kind of evolve and learn together,” he said in the documentary, Football, Prince William and our Mental Health.
A scene from Netflix’s The Crown perfectly shows the role of the spouse of the monarch, with Prince Philip learning early on that his most important duty was to support his wife, Queen Elizabeth. The scene shows Elizabeth’s father, King George VI, telling Philip, “She is the job.”
Philip retired from public life in 2017 after long years of service for the royal family. When asked about the secret behind the success of his 72-year marriage with the Queen, he said it was the fact that he could make her laugh.