opinion
Royal transformation
Duchess Kate’s honesty was a clever move on the way to the throne
Duchess Kate is the hope of the British monarchy
© Doug Peters / Imago Images
Pretty, nice, inconspicuous – that’s how I saved Duchess Kate. But in the past few months the future queen has changed. Thank God.
On Christmas Eve, “Royal Carols – Together at Christmas”, a concert hosted by Duchess Kate, is shown on television screens on the island. The Duchess of Cambridge can be seen accompanying singer Tom Walker on the piano. She looks focused, but she smiles.
A scene that would never have happened ten years ago. And which I, as an observer, did not trust her.
I admit: I was never a fan of Kate. Plain style, reserved character, (apparently) no opinion of my own – all of this seemed to me to have fallen out of time. I imagine a modern royal lady like Queen Máxima of the Netherlands or Queen Letizia of Spain: strong-opinion, confident in front of the camera, clear agenda. Kate is perfect, but perfection is boring.
Cracks in perfection: Duchess Kate allows herself to show her human side
Kate, who may also call herself Princess William of Wales, has performed flawlessly in the past. She shows herself to be affectionate, serious and empathic. But never too curious or even activist. Public speeches are few and far between from the mother of three. Interviews even less common. It is above all Prince William who is the couple’s mouthpiece. Kate stands by his side, smiling, and saying nothing. If it didn’t move, it would be a pretty statue.
But there are also breaks in the perfect facade. Because Kate is one thing above all else: mom. If she shows herself with her three children, the private side of the glamorous Duchess is revealed. She is funny, spontaneous, but also strict. When the baby Louis runs away on the sidelines of a polo tournament, she runs after them without further ado. Prince George, on the other hand, gets a lecture when he makes nonsense at his aunt Pippa’s wedding. But the millionaire’s daughter hesitates for a long time in her “job”.
Kate Middleton – the millionaire daughter chooses her future
For a few years it is not clear what subjects the Duchess of Cambridge will take on. Many British Royal experts say that they wanted to find out more in depth and calmly. The choice that will determine their future in the royal family is too important. She opts for destigmatizing mental problems and early childhood development.
Your commitment – even if it comes straight from the heart – initially remains reserved and distant as usual. And then comes the Meghan Markle engine. In summary, it can be said that Prince Harry’s wife brought some movement into the dusty monarchy. Also in Kate.
The “competition” ensures that they are bolder. In 2019 she gave her first TV interview after the engagement nine years (!) Earlier. On the last day of her trip to Pakistan with William, she spoke to CNN reporter Max Foster about the SOS Children’s Villages there. Nervous but emphatically. She positions her affair of the heart in the public consciousness.
From Waity Katie to the Queen’s secret weapon: Duchess Kate turns 40
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The Duchess of Cambridge starts the most important decade of her life with more self-confidence and a greater presence
Talking in front of the camera will probably no longer be the favorite task of the attractive brunettes. But she dares to do more, has realized – not only through Meghan – that the media and a confident handling of them are part of the royal appearance nowadays.
Kate proves clever that despite initial criticism that she is not working enough, she has taken the time to carefully select and prepare her projects. Now it is paying off, because your commitment to the “Early Years” initiative is long-term and should have a real effect. She will sharpen Kate’s profile if, in the next decade, she follows in the footsteps of her mother-in-law, who she never met. Because after Diana, she will most likely be the next woman to hold the title of Princess of Wales. Kate and William remember their late mother again and again, but with sensitivity and a lot of reverence. And above all: without putting pressure on Kate to compete with Diana.
It is admirable how the introverted Kate has grown with and with her tasks. The support of William and her family is not to be underestimated. The prince knows the royal circus, playing with the media, and the privileges and limitations that come with being a royal. The Middletons, on the other hand, offer their eldest daughter a refuge far from the palace walls.
Yes, Kate will never be an extravagant and extroverted woman. My changed opinion of her is certainly also related to the fact that she feels more and more comfortable at big events and in front of the cameras. Kate arrived at 40. Calm, well prepared and charming. Maybe that’s just the way it is.