The Princess of Wales has blossomed from a quiet and reserved bride-to-be to a confidence-filled senior royal.
Kate is often described as the monarchy's greatest asset, and among royal fans is a clear favourite member of the Firm. But how has she managed to carve out her role as an assured Queen-in-waiting?
Well, according to a royal expert, it is all down to the way she uses her 'soft power' of being strong and making her opinion count but at the same time being charming and gentle - much like the way her husband Prince William's great-grandmother, the late Queen Mother, used her influence.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told OK! magazine: "People always used to describe the Queen Mother as 'steel in a velvet glove'. She was always charming, gentle and much admired. But, she was also the strength behind her husband, George Vl, and at the Palace her opinion counted. I think Kate has some of those same qualities.
"She has learned the craft of being royal over a number of years and earned her place as a senior member of the family. Gradually, she has also earned the respect of the public and, I believe, of the rest of the family. We look at her now not just as William's wife, but as our future Queen."
Jennie's comments come after a royal book recently claimed that it was Kate who insisted on a tough response following allegations made by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021.
During the tell-all chat, they claimed a senior royal questioned the colour of their unborn son's skin. The couple sent shockwaves through the British monarchy when they spoke of their disgust at "concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born".
It prompted Buckingham Palace to issue a statement saying while "some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately."
And in a new updated version of the book Courtiers by veteran royal correspondent Valentine Low, it says Kate 'insisted' on including the 'recollections' barb and added that, "history will judge this statement."
One source told the author about Kate: "She does not get as much credit as she should because she is so subtle about it. She is playing the long game. She has always got her eye on, 'This is my life and my historic path, and I am going to be the Queen one day.'"
And Jennie added she was not surprised to hear that Kate reportedly played a prominent role in the response to the bombshell chat.
She added: "She knew that the family's reputation was on the line and, along with William, she wasn't prepared simply to stand by and let that reputation be trashed. I think people will admire her for resisting the age-old strategy of ignoring criticism, however damaging it can be."
