“Kate has gained a lot of confidence from her softly, softly approach,” a source says, adding, “She feels empowered to become a much louder voice within the family, which is why we’ll see her taking on more solo engagements and speaking roles on the big issues over the next year or so. She’ll also play a huge role in William’s trip to America later this year – though her part in it all is still being finalised.”
Closer to home, the duchess is also rolling up her sleeves when it comes to family affairs.
“She found it quite difficult to sit quietly by as she watched her husband’s relationship with his brother [Prince Harry] publicly implode,” the source continues.
“Especially when Harry and Meghan tried to turn a lot of it around on her, implying that she was stand-offish and unwelcoming to Harry’s wife when, in reality, she was just incredibly busy at the time. She doesn’t want to let that happen again, especially when she’s worked so hard to build a good reputation for herself.
“At first, she encouraged William to make it up with Harry. They both missed him and she said she’d do anything to help make it right. But in recent months, Kate has taken a stronger standpoint,” the source explains.
“It seems like there will be no smoothing this one over, and now that Harry and Meghan are gone, Kate knows this means double the workload for herself and, soon enough, her children. She’s not afraid of hard work, but uncharacteristically for her, she has joined William in being very upset with the Sussexes. There’s a ‘no more Miss Nice Girl’ vibe – that’s what happens when you mess with a woman’s family though!”
Meanwhile, we’re told Kate is “increasingly speaking up” on tough issues between family members, including between her husband and Prince Charles, who most recently are said to have quibbled over whether Wills, 40, should move his family to Windsor and whether Charles should be exerting quite so much influence over Sandringham Estate while the Queen is still alive.
Charles is already reportedly purchasing more cattle, installing new gardens and menus in the cafe, and our source says William feels it’s “too much, too soon”.
“Sometimes there is tension between William and his father [Prince Charles] – which is only natural between heirs, especially since they’re quite similar in personality,” says the source.
“Kate gets on tremendously well with her father-in-law and is often on hand to soothe any ill feelings between them. William has always gone to Kate for advice, but Prince Charles also does now – something that would’ve been unheard of until recently. He thinks very highly of her, and with her calm demeanour and cool head, she’s something of a tension breaker between the first and second in line.”
WHO has been told Kate has earned a direct line to Her Majesty and often calls or stops by for a friendly catch-up when both women are in Windsor.
A separate insider with ties to Kensington Palace says, “you can tell Kate is really coming into her own this year, and it’s no surprise. She’s watched some pretty awful things happen to her family and it has forced her to stand up for herself and her husband, even if it’s just behind closed doors. The rumours that she admonished Meghan for speaking rudely to one of her employees before the Sussex wedding is true – and Kate’s seen as a bit of a hero among palace workers. That was the start of the new Kate, and her confidence has only grown. At the end of the day, she just wants to future-proof everything they’re working for – if only for her kids – and she’s learnt she has a lot more power in the palace than she thought. Now, she’s become empowered to use it.”