Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton may become Queen of England sooner than she ever expected, according to a recent report.
For the mother of two, that means mixed emotions.
As we told you yesterday, alleged palace insiders claim Prince William and Kate will be King and Queen once Elizabeth II’s reign ends.
Her Royal Majesty has yet to formally say this, of course, so take it with a grain of salt. Or two grains. Or 10. Or perhaps a small boulder.
In any case, the report states that Prince Charles, 68, is about to get leapfrogged in the line of succession in order to preserve the monarchy.
“Her Majesty realized that William and Kate are the future,” said the palace insider, noting that her royal legacy hangs in the balance.
“She has spent 65 years making sure that the House of Windsor survives,” and this decision, while bold and surprising, is no different.
That doesn’t mean it’s easy – for anyone involved.
Suffice it to say, Kate is royally conflicted about it.
A royal source said that her concerns lie with kids Prince George and Princess Charlotte, and whether they will be negatively impacted.
Middleton didn’t see this coming. How could they?
“Kate had wanted to keep a low profile for a few more years,” the source said. “She’s desperate to remain a hands-on mom.”
“She worries about being in the spotlight more.”
William and Kate, both 35, got married six years ago. They welcomed heir Prince George in July 2013 and then Charlotte in May 2015.
The parents have already expressed concerns about their kids growing up as normally as possible, so this is a complicated situation.
“She’s concerned about the added pressure on her kids,” the insider added of the mother of two, noting that they’re camera shy as it is.
On the flip side, this is what she signed up for.
The future Queen has, since moving to Kensington Palcae, been working extra hard to make sure the next generation is ready to take over.
“William and Kate have taken on more responsibilities,” the source said, despite frequent talk of Kate being the laziest royal of all time.
“They’re learning even more about what it entails to take on such powerful positions,” and while this promotion is huge, it’s not imminent.
Elizabeth II has reigned for over six decades, but is still spry and active for 91, and has no intention of abdicating the throne while alive.
William could wait awhile yet (ask Charles).
In any case, George and Charlotte will soon glean that their lives are very different from regular kids, but will stay grounded just the same.
This comes from upbringing, and is clearly paramount to William and Kate; George and Charlotte will be well raised, regardless of title.
That much you can take to the bank. Also a guarantee is that they will look simply adorable next to Kate and William for years to come.
When they’re King and Queen or just during run-of-the-mill royal engagements, the youngsters are the spitting image of their parents.
We expect they will lead charmed lives, but not because of the royal status Kate never enjoyed while she was growing up (see below).
Just because their mom and dad are pretty great.
