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Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, though initially an "outsider" to the royal family has made her place in her own right. Kate, 42, married Prince William after 8 years of dating in 2011.
According to a YouGov poll for the fourth quarter of 2023, Kate Middleton is the most popular living royal among men and Generation X. Overall, Kate Middleton is only ranked after Queen Elizabeth II, her husband Prince William and Queen Elizabeth's only daughter Princess Anne.
People have wondered what makes her so popular. Well, there are many reasons. One of them is she sits at the top of the hierarchy in the royal family. In an older interview with Mirror, Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said:
"Kate has the world at her feet. There have been many ups, and she hasn’t had any downs. She and William pack a punch."
Her marriage to William, who's first in line to the succession has always kept her in the spotlight. The line of succession is then followed by William and her children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. But, this is not the only reason.
Evolving power of Kate Middleton in the royal family explored
On marrying Prince William in 2023, Kate Middleton received the royal title of Duchess of Cambridge. As per US Weekly, Kate started doing royal duties months before getting married. A month prior to the wedding in 2011, Kate and William made an official trip to Belfast. They married at Westminster Abbey on April 29th, 2011.
After a month of wedding, Kate hosted Barack and Michelle Obama at Buckingham Palace. The royal couple then took a US and Canada tour where they took part in festivities on Canada Day. US Weekly reported that in October 2011, Kate did her first solo royal duty at a charity event for In Kind Direct, set up by King Charles.
Throughout the years, she increased her royal duties. William and Kate have undertaken several royal visits to several countries including Australia, New Zealand, India, and Pakistan. Kate has also given birth to three children, the heirs of the British throne.
In 2016, Kate and William founded Heads Together, a mental health initiative that encourages people to be more open about their mental health issues and struggles. According to its website, Heads Together also launched an initiative with the Ministry of Defence emphasising the mental health struggles of the armed forces personnel. As per Vannity Fair, Kate also went on a solo royal business visit to the Netherlands in 2016.
In June 2021, Kate Middleton launched the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood. Its website emphasizes the importance of early childhood to transform society for the future. Its website mentions:
"Early childhood are often the root cause of today’s hardest social challenges, such as addiction, family breakdown, poor mental health, suicide and homelessness."
"Kate effect" and the increasing royal titles of Princess of Wales
After the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, Kate Middleton received several royal titles. She transformed from a Duchess to a Princess when she received the royal title of Princess of Wales. As per Harpers Bazaar, Kate also received the Duchess of Cornwall, Duchess of Rothesay and Countess of Chester from Camila. With more royal titles, Kate has received more royal duties. Further, Kate has also received many military titles over the years.
Kate Middleton is also known for the "Kate effect" as whatever she wears gets sold out in few hours after her appearance. According to the Guardian, it began when Kate wore a blue Issa dress in photocall to mark her engagement with Prince William. The dress sold out in a few hours in several countries, making her an "influencer" before the term came into being. As per Newsweek, Kate Middleton gives "£1 billion ($1.2 billion) annual boost to the U.K. fashion industry."
Celebrity stylist Martine said to the Mirror
She is 100% a style icon. She ticks the style etiquette box that comes with the job, but is confident enough to express who she is. I love the more casual, preppy, classic side of Kate. And I absolutely love how she mixes high street brands with designer items. It makes her much more approachable."
Hattie Brett, the editor of Grazia magazine told Guardian that it's not only what she wears.
"Our audience is now as interested in hearing what she has to say as what she’s wearing."
Prince Harry's departure from royal duties, the Prince Andrew Epstein scandal, and the death of Queen Elizabeth all pose a threat to the British monarchy.
According to a YouGov survey, the support for the monarchy in Great Britain has been gradually decreasing since 2019. Princess Kate Middleton is one of the important pillars who will decide its future. For now, she has only made it appealing and worthwhile.
