As Catherine, Princess of Wales, celebrates her 44th birthday this week, the Mirror takes a look at what the future queen is really like behind palace doors, including her very relatable habit
She’s one of the most photographed women in the world, but what is life really like behind closed doors for Catherine, Princess of Wales?
From the moment she walked down the aisle at Westminster Abbey in the spring of 2011, all eyes have been on the future queen, once known simply as Kate Middleton. From motherhood to her cancer journey, the 43-year-old has kept royal watchers updated with her various milestones and challenges.
Naturally, many have warmed to this middle-class girl turned princess, who has maintained high levels of public approval, despite dark clouds having loomed over the gates of Buckingham Palace in recent times. Indeed, this year has proven to be particularly difficult for The Firm, with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, having faced yet more scrutiny over his friendship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The former Duke of York, who was stripped of his titles back in October, has consistently denied any wrongdoing. Meanwhile, Kate, with her cheerful smile and graceful yet warm approach to royal duties, has seen her emerge as one of the palace’s greatest assets. And, as she celebrates her 44th birthday this week, Kate is already showing glimpses of the queen she will one day become.
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Relatable mum
Back in January 2020, Kate joined author Giovanna Fletcher for a very special episode of her Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast, opening up about everything from mum guilt to hypnobirthing. Speaking with The Times, Giovanna shared: “What I think surprised me was how nervous we both were at the top of the chat. I think there’s no denying, when you talk to Catherine, you know what she means to the country, what influence she will have on life going forward — and can have with her early years campaigning.
“So I think I was nervous because of that. She was nervous because she knew that she was about to speak in a way that she’d never spoken before.” Supportive Prince William was thankfully on hand behind the scenes to offer his wife some reassurance, advising her to “just talk” and that they could always snip out parts in the edit.
And so it was that the princess and the podcaster hit it off, continuing their chat off-air about “feral” children and Kate’s very relatable habit. Giovanna revealed: “She told me that she was notoriously bad at keeping an eye on her phone. She always loses her phone. All of her Christmas presents that year were related to her keeping track of her phone… It was all about her not losing her phone.”
This isn’t the only time mum-of-three Kate has opened up about the challenges of parenthood. Back in September, to mark the third anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, she and Prince William visited the Sunningdale branch of the Women’s Institute (WI), where they opened up about life with their three children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven.
Curious WI members were keen to know whether Prince Louis was “a bit of a handful” compared with Prince George, noting that the eldest Wales sibling appeared to be the sensible one while Louis was “a bit of a character”. However, William divulged that while George knew how to behave in public, “behind closed doors, it’s a different story”. Last summer marked a milestone move for the young family, who moved from Adelaide Cottage into Forest Lodge, an eight-bedroom Grade II-listed Georgian mansion in Windsor Great Park.
Prince Harry motto
In recent years, the British monarchy has been shaken by the departure of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who, in January 2020, made the bombshell decision to step back as working members of the Royal family and carve out a new life for themselves in California. And while Harry and Meghan have spoken out about the high-profile rift, detailed in the 2023 memoir Spare, William and Kate have kept quiet on the matter.
However, it’s believed the couple could be making their feelings known in more subtle ways, for example, opting not to publicly acknowledge Harry’s 41st birthday in September. Royal expert Duncan Larcombe told OK!: “Kate’s silence spoke a thousand words. They didn’t post anything on his birthday, which the royals normally would do. So Kate’s message was loud and clear: the ball’s not in our court, Harry – it’s in yours.”
Due to strict royal protocol, the prince and princess have to resort to such signals to send a pointed message. Duncan continued: “Neither Kate nor William can speak out publicly about Harry and Meghan. They have kept silent throughout all of this and rolled with all the punches, so they’re forced into subtle, secret messaging – which is what this seems to be. They’re not prepared to call Harry’s bluff by sending him joyful birthday wishes, so they remain silent and avoid him at all costs.”
‘Special relationship’
Fans have seen a different side to Kate since she emerged from her recent illness. In September 2024, she and William shared an emotionally-charged video to announce the end of her cancer treatment, and the romantic display, which saw them holding hands on a Norfolk beach, was a far cry from traditional royal press releases.
Royal correspondent Katie Nicholl told OK! “The beautiful video that Catherine released to celebrate the end of her chemotherapy gave us a real insight into them as a couple. For a couple that have always been so private, it was unusual. You could see the love between them, and you could see how romantic they are together from the way William put his hands through her hair. They were just clearly so comfortable and happy in each other’s company – there was a real sense of love and friendship. It gave us a very special insight into a very special relationship.”
‘Naughty sense of humour’
While university sweethearts William and Kate put on a more formal display in the early years of their marriage, they now appear more relaxed while out and about, showing their close connection. Meanwhile, away from the public gaze, insiders say the pair have always been fond of teasing each other, with William once admitting they’d bonded thanks to Kate’s “naughty sense of humour”.
Katie continued: “William and Kate are quite shy and reserved by nature, and in the past, they haven’t made many public displays of affection. But I think there’s been a willingness to show the world what they’ve been through, in a way that they’re comfortable with. They’ve been together for so many years, and you can really see that in the way they are with one another. You can really see William’s love and respect, and his devotion to his wife. I think they’ve emerged a lot stronger and even more together.”
From shy bride to ‘star’
Having been at the heart of the Royal Family for 15 years now, Kate has gone from being a nervous public speaker to a confident Queen-in-waiting, having shaped her own path and sense of purpose. Dedicated to initiatives close to her heart, Kate is particularly focused on helping families through her Shaping Us campaign, which aims to increase public understanding of the importance of the first five years of a child’s life.
Kate’s Together at Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey, which recognises those who have gone above and beyond to help others throughout the year, has also proven to be a success and a highly anticipated evening in the Royal calendar. Meanwhile, the princess looked every bit the self-assured future queen as she joined forces with Charles and Camilla to welcome President Trump and his wife, Melania, on their landmark state visit, even charming POTUS at the Windsor banquet table.
Katie reflected: “Kate has been two decades in the public eye, and she looks so much more at ease now. As the young Kate Middleton, she didn’t have a press officer on speed dial or a security entourage, and when you look at her metamorphosis from commoner to royal, it has been extraordinary. She’s been flawless for decades; she has not put a foot wrong.” Agreeing, Royal biographer Hugo Vickers, author of Alice: The Story of Princess Alice of Greece, remarked, “If Catherine continues the way she’s going, she’ll be the perfect Queen Consort. She’s a star and really key to the monarchy.”
Important future job
As one of the most senior members of the Royal Family, Kate has naturally been compared with the previous Princess of Wales, her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana. But while Diana remains an enduring source of inspiration and fascination for many, it’s believed Kate’s legacy will be quite different.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told The Mail Online: “She is not likely to emulate Diana, who reached out to others brilliantly but was also brittle and deeply unhappy. They are too different to be compared,” he explained. “Catherine’s legacy will be one of total loyalty to her husband and the institution of monarchy.”
And when the time comes for William to take his father’s place on the throne, Kate will have an important destiny in store – revamping the reputation of the ancient institution she married into. This will, of course, be no easy task. It’s no secret that the monarchy has weathered a few blows in recent years, with Harry and Meghan’s decision to step back as working royals contributing towards a soured public opinion.
Mr Fitzwilliams explained: “Partly owing to the antics of the Sussexes, a majority of young people currently favour a republic. However, the same group shows poll ratings of 70 to 75 per cent for Catherine, and I believe her legacy will include changing the attitudes of many of this pivotal group.”
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