The late Queen Elizabeth II quickly sensed that Kate Middleton had the steadiness and dedication along with poise to navigate the rigors of one of the most daunting royal posts on earth.
The Queen trusted Catherine (also known as Catherine, Princess of Wales) enough to allow her full rein in determining what life would be as a princess and later Queen Consort, says Royal commentator and biographer, Christopher Andersen in his insights shared with Woman’s Day Australia.
A Queen rooted in a distinctly ‘normal’ middle-class upbringing Unlike previous royal generations where many would find themselves thrust into life at the Palace without many advantages (other than their title of birth), Kate Middleton Middleton of Berkshire has both parents, Carole and Michael, who hail from decidedly middle-class backgrounds.
Kate’s mother Carole would end up working in service as a flight attendant prior to becoming a businesswoman after her daughter came into the world and while the Prince’s mother is a distant relative of the infamous Catherine Parr of Henry VIII-Catherine’s childhood was stable and thoroughly conventional.
Andersen explains that this ‘difference in’ the princess would have ‘stood out in any royal history,’ for as he notes, “Kate will be the first queen to have enjoyed a normal, stable, nurturing middle-class upbringing, and she is determined that her own children share that experience.”
Understanding the significance of the monarchy Beyond Kate’s grounded and relatable upbringing Queen Elizabeth also reportedly admired the Princess’s profound understanding of public duty and the historical significance of royal institutions. ‘The Queen Elizabeth must also have seen in Kate a deep understanding of how important the monarchy is as a pillar of British society,’
Andersen remarks. “Queen Elizabeth probably admired Kate’s steady hands on deck, with no indication she craved individual fame but instead sought to enhance the institution. Andersen continues that, “She is deeply honored to have been given this chance to make a difference to Britain… and is very serious about it.”
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Balancing the life of princess and modern mother While Prince William eventually moves up to Prince of Wales, it seems that Catherine Princess of Wales is doing her best to strike a balance between royal duties and raising Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis in the decidedly “normal”, stable middle-class environment that the late Queen Elizabeth II apparently respected.