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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge has been much more visible in the British royal family in recent years. In the past, Kate took a more reserved role in the royal family, especially when her children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis were very small. However, amid Prince Andrew’s royal ousting, Megxit, and Prince Philip’s death, Kate has really stepped up to the plate.

While Prince Charles continues to be next in line for the throne, considering both his and Queen Elizabeth II‘s advanced age, Kate and Prince William have become the main faces of the British royal family as they attempt to grapple with the fall out of Megxit while pushing the royals into the modern age.

Now, it appears that Kate is stepping into Prince Philip’s shoes in a way that no one could have anticipated.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh smiling and laughing
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Will Kate Middleton be queen one day?

As the wife of Prince William, the future king, and the mother of Prince George, another future king, Kate will be the Queen Consort one day, though she won’t be a queen like Queen Elizabeth.

However, that hasn’t stopped the duchess from using the queen as the blueprint for her approach to royal life. “She is impenetrable,” Tatler Magazine reported. “There is nothing to like or dislike. She has a ruthless survival streak, just like the House of Windsor. It’s why she is so well suited. She keeps her head down because the prize of being queen is so great. She models herself on the Queen and now speaks like the Queen.”

What is Kate Middleton’s relationship like with the British royal family?

Kate has a warm relationship with Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, and the rest of the senior working royals. However, their admiration of the Duchess of Cambridge was hard-earned. The queen was skeptical about Prince William’s college sweetheart when they first began getting serious.

“Queen Elizabeth had grave concerns and believed that Kate needed to have a job and an identity in her own right before an engagement was announced,” royal expert Katie Nicholl explained via Express.

Since then, Kate has been able to adapt to royal life effortlessly. “I think William is enormously proud of how well Kate has adapted,” Nicholl said on ITV’s Lorraine via Express. “But she did have the benefit of time and experience. He was a great mentor. I remember being told by a palace aide how Kate had gone into Buckingham Palace when the engagement was announced and said, ‘Right, what do I need to know.’ I think the other thing that William did, which was very clever, was introduced Kate to us to the press.”

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Kate Middleton is stepping in Prince Philip’s shoes

Kate had already taken on a lot more responsibility following Prince Andrew’s scandal in 2019, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry’s resignation in 2020. Now, Kate is following in Prince Philip’s footsteps.

The late prince died on April 9 at age 99 having retired from royal life in 2017. However, Kate is now paying homage to him with her royal work.

“‘The royal family realize they have a really important key player here and they’re bringing her center stage, so we have seen a shift,” Nicholl said on Australia’s 60 Minutes via Maire Claire. “I think Kate is the glue. In the same way that the Duke of Edinburgh was always the one who would help resolve family issues. He was the patriarch of the family. I see Kate stepping into that role. Trying to keep things together.”

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