Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are ready for the monarchy’s new chapter

As William and Kate celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary, our royal editor Robert Jobson looks at the challenges they’ve overcome and what’s next for the couple who will one day be king and queen
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Robert Jobson29 April 2021

The death of Prince Philip is a watershed moment in the history of the modern monarchy. And for Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and his wife, Catherine, it marks a significant new chapter.

A decade on from their wedding at Westminster Abbey, Marlborough College and St Andrews-educated Catherine (as William publicly calls her now, rather than Kate) is centre stage. Together with their children, George, Charlotte and Louis, the couple represent what is good in so many ways about our country and its system of constitutional monarchy.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have withstood malicious and unfounded rumours of problems in their marriage, and now stand resolute to serve Queen and country, while raising their young family.

I witnessed first-hand how they performed on the world stage on a tricky diplomatic visit to Pakistan in October 2019. The soft-power mission — overseen by the duke’s then private secretary Simon Case, who is now head of the civil service — was a triumph. I also saw Catherine’s confidence grow. When she spoke with members of the British press at the back of the RAF’s Voyager jet, she demonstrated poise and wit.

The couple have had their fair share of storms to weather. William was upset by his younger brother and sister-in-law’s difficulties with the institution — but also hurt by the perceived attacks on him and his father. Harry claimed both were “trapped” by the system; neither William nor Charles feel trapped, household sources have told me.

Prince Charles is now the patriarch of “the Firm” and chief supporter to his mother. The Queen, who is 95, will continue to reign, but the death of Philip, her beloved husband of 73 years, has left a void in her life.

I know the Queen discussed stepping aside — not down — at 95 so that Charles would become a Regent. But a senior figure who worked closely with Her Majesty for many years said he felt she would only step aside if she was no longer able to perform her role as custodian. For Charles to have the title of Regent is, in reality, not crucial. When the world returns to some semblance of order after the pandemic, his foreign forays on behalf of the Government will effectively be state visits.

But whatever the next few years holds,  make no mistake that this is a monarchy in transition — and the next generation are poised and ready for whatever challenge they face.

Robert Jobson is the author of The Future Royal Family; William, Kate and the Modern Royals. His latest book, Prince Philip’s Century 1921-2021: The Extraordinary Life of the Duke of Edinburgh, is available now.

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