Kate Middleton is 'entering a new phase' says host

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Kensington Palace released a series of photos earlier this month to celebrate the Duchess of Cambridge’s 40th birthday. The photos, taken by Paolo Roversi, featured Kate in a series of glamorous dresses. Comparisons have been drawn with the latest photographs and previous portraits of royalty in years gone by, namely Queen Victoria and Queen Alexandra, King Edward VII’s wife.

Kate and Prince William have increasingly upped their public profiles in recent years, even more so since the Queen significantly cut down her own schedule.

They have been at the forefront of a number of events in recent months including the COP26 climate summit.

The Duchess hosted a Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey last month, and treated viewers to a special piano performance alongside singer-songwriter Tom Walker.

Kate has established herself as a formidable force within the Royal Family in the last few years, and royal expert Katie Nicholl argued last year that she is beginning to step into the shoes of the late Prince Philip.

Tom Steinfort welcomed Ms Nicholl onto 60 Minutes Australia last year. He said: “Kate’s standing in the Royal Family has now come so far that many believe she is their biggest asset.”

Ms Nicholl responded: “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.”

Kate has regularly been seen as something of a peacemaker within the Royal Family.

At the late Duke’s funeral, all eyes were on William and his brother Prince Harry.

As the royals left St George’s Chapel to return to Windsor Castle on foot, camera crews were focused on the brothers.

Kate, William and Harry were pictured chatting as they left the chapel, before Kate subtly dropped back and allowed the brothers to talk.

Likewise, Kate is believed to have “worked her magic out of sight” as a peacekeeper between the brothers at the unveiling of their mother Princess Diana’s statue in the summer.

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The Daily Mirror claimed William was still “reeling” from Harry’s now infamous Oprah Winfrey interview at the time, with the future king’s head “all over the place”.

What’s more, a source claimed to the Sunday Times that William did not want to attend the event with his brother until Kate intervened.

The unveiling went ahead with both brothers present, and they were pictured laughing and joking with one another.

An aide told the newspaper at the time: “[Kate] was amazing behind the scenes when Harry came.”

A former royal staffer recently admitted that Kate is exactly what the Royal Family needs in these troubled times as Prince Andrew’s ongoing legal battles and Prince Harry’s upcoming memoir cause considerable concern within the Firm.

Patrick Jephson, Princess Diana’s former chief of staff, told the New York Post this weekend: “As the Prince Andrew scandal shows, the monarchy is in desperate need of reassuringly conventional royal performers.

“Catherine is just what these troubled royal times need — it’s no exaggeration that the Windsors’ future lies in her hands.”

He added: “Monarchy is the ultimate long game… because unlike business, politics or media stardom, royalty is for life and its time horizons are infinite.

“Catherine has mastered that long game and that’s a very significant achievement.”

William and Kate’s popularity among the British public cannot be denied.

YouGov polling in the final quarter of 2021 found that, behind the Queen, William is the second most popular royal, with Kate in third.

Prince Charles is down in seventh, with the late Prince Philip, Princess Anne and Zara Phillips ahead of him.

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