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Kate Middleton married Prince William in 2011, and today, she is one of the most-liked members of the royal family, per British public opinion polls. As Queen Elizabeth gets older, the conversation becomes more and more about William taking the throne — and Kate serving at his side. But in reality, it might be a dangerous move in regards to the royal family’s reputation if the public keeps obsessing over Kate becoming queen.

Kate Middleton
Kate Middleton | Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images

People seem to forget that Camilla Parker Bowles will be queen consort before Kate

Camilla might not be nearly as well-liked as the Duchess of Cambridge, but it doesn’t mean she won’t step into the role of queen consort before Kate. However, the public seems to have entirely glazed over Camilla taking on the role.

Queen Elizabeth is 93, and she won’t rule forever. But Prince Charles will follow her in line, not William. And the public needs to accept that there’s a chance Camilla could be in the role for a very long time.

It could be another three decades before Kate becomes queen

The royal family has a long line of longevity. The queen’s mother lived to be 101; Queen Elizabeth is 93 and somehow spunkier than most people are in their 60s and 70s. And Prince Philip is 98 — the family clearly has great genes. With that said, Charles is only 71, which means that if he were to live as long as his parents and grandparents, it could be another 30 years before William becomes king — and before Kate takes the throne at his side.

The public could resent Camilla even more while Kate waits to take on the role

If the public continues to obsess over Kate, it could be dangerous for the royal family’s reputation. When Meghan Markle joined the family, the public didn’t take well to her, and the drama affected the entire family. Camilla has had a hard time winning over the public as it is, but if everyone continues to obsess over Kate in the role, it might only make things harder for the Duchess of Cornwall.

Once Queen Elizabeth dies, Charles will be the most important royal. And if people don’t want to see his wife as queen consort, it could affect the entire family’s reputation and be dangerous for the royal family’s future in terms of public acceptance. 2019 alone greatly challenged the family’s reputation, between Meghan’s media negativity and Prince Andrew’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. The public plays a great role in royal reputations, and should the queen pass away and Charles and Camilla take her place, the obsession with Kate could be bad news for the family’s rep.

William doesn’t see being king as a ‘priority’ right now — and neither should the public

Back in 2016, William revealed that he doesn’t see becoming king as a “priority” right now. Queen Elizabeth has done amazing in her role, and his father will be the one to fill her big shoes. William seems to understand that it will be a while before he becomes king, but the public should understand that, too.

Right now, William and Kate are also focused on giving their children a normal upbringing. When the time comes, they will think more about their future roles, but for now, they’re content with the way things are.