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Fox News
7 days ago
- Health
- Fox News
Kate Middleton's no-nonsense approach, ‘ruthless discipline' shapes her future as queen: expert
Kate Middleton is said to be taking a no-nonsense approach to becoming queen one day. The Princess of Wales, who is recognized as Britain's reliable royal, is said to hold a greater influence over the House of Windsor than once imagined, as she supports Prince William, heir to the throne. "Her emphasis on a ruthless discipline in her regimented daily routine and commitment to self-improvement has helped her," British royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. "She divides her time meticulously between parenting, supporting the heir to the throne, and her royal duties and manages to fit in an intense workout regime," said Fordwich. "Regarding her three children, she can combine tradition with a modern, more middle-class approach to family. This, on top of her dedication to duty, is seen as essential for the monarchy's relevance and continuity." Fordwich's statements came shortly after a source close to the royal household told People that the 43-year-old is the most popular member of the royal family. "She's very much seen as a player at the center of team Windsor," added Simon Lewis, a former Buckingham Palace communications chief. Royal author Valentine Low also told the outlet that Kate has "developed a toughness" behind palace doors as she supports her husband. One source told the outlet, "She takes things seriously – and thank goodness for that." "She has this public image of being nice and smiley," Low told the outlet. "But she is strong-minded, strong-willed, and prepared to fight for what she wants and what she thinks is right." Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital that Kate has good reason to develop thicker skin. "The onset of a life-threatening illness can make a person tough," he explained, referring to the royal's past battle with cancer. The princess announced she was in remission from cancer in January of this year. "When they have a clear goal, as Kate has, the maintaining of the monarchy and bringing up her family means the experience, although traumatic, can be used to advantage in the years ahead," he said. WATCH: KATE MIDDLETON MAKES KEY DECISIONS FOR ROYALS AS FUTURE QUEEN: EXPERT "Kate needed confidence as a public speaker, which she now has," said Fitzwilliams. "She is a fashion icon, which she uses to enormous advantage. And she and William are so close, as their PDA clearly shows. They are the monarchy's future. They work brilliantly as a team now, and they will continue to do so when William becomes king." Royal historian Amanda Foreman previously told People that the Prince and Princess of Wales have an unwavering partnership as a couple. William, she noted, has allowed Kate to shine on her own as she takes on royal duties. William and Kate became Prince and Princess of Wales upon the death of Queen Elizabeth II. England's longest-reigning monarch died in 2022 at age 96. "The last five years have been a nightmare for them in every possible way – the past year even more so," Foreman explained to the outlet. "That either crushes a marriage or it brings them together," she said. "And just in time, frankly – if there was ever a time when the country required stability, this is it. The international stage is so unstable, it is rather extraordinary to see how both have risen to the occasion." Royal experts told Fox News Digital that William has taken on more duties to support his father, King Charles III. The monarch, 76, was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February 2024. Kate has prioritized having a hands-on approach to raising their three young children, giving them as normal of an upbringing as possible while bringing them to royal events. "Without a doubt, Princess Catherine's toughness is a brilliant combination of resilience, self-discipline and emotional maturity – qualities which have rendered her the most popular of royals and crucial for the monarchy's future stability as well as public image," said Fordwich. "Prince William's influence and enduring strength of their relationship is significant, but so is her independent strength. Together, their sum is greater than their respective parts." The road to being a beloved royal wasn't always smooth for Kate. The Middleton family has no aristocratic background, and the British press often referred to Kate as a "commoner" marrying into the royal family. In 2001, she met William when they were students at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Friends and housemates at first, their relationship came to be in the public eye when they were pictured together in 2004. As a romance blossomed, the pair's relationship came under intense public scrutiny from the start. In 2005, Kate's lawyers asked newspaper editors to leave her alone, saying photographers were invading her private life. That didn't stop media interest in her relationship with William, or unkind headlines calling her "Waity Katie" when the couple briefly split in 2007. WATCH: KATE MIDDLETON'S DORMMATE RECALLS BEFRIENDING THE FUTURE PRINCESS OF WALES The couple's 2011 wedding sparked a level of royal mania unseen since the nuptials of the then-Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981. After the wall-to-wall wedding coverage, the couple retreated to a relatively quiet life away from the limelight in rural Wales for two years while William completed his military service. But the royals' tussle with the press again came to the fore in 2012, when William and Kate sued a French magazine for publishing photos of a topless Kate, snapped while the couple was vacationing at a private villa in southern France. Media pressure on Kate largely eased when her brother-in-law, Prince Harry, married Meghan Markle in 2018. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020, citing the unbearable intrusions of the British press and a lack of support from the palace. They now reside in California. Kate rarely revealed her thoughts in public, though in recent years she has grown in confidence as a public speaker and a champion of early education for young children. In 2021, she demonstrated some talent as a performer, surprising the audience at a Christmas carol service with her piano playing. Motherhood also brought about a determination to forge a new, more controlled relationship with the press. Kate and William stressed they wanted their children to lead as "normal" a life as possible. In 2022, the family moved from Kensington Palace in central London to a cottage near Windsor Castle, further underlining their desire to raise their children in relative privacy. Fordwich said Kate's battle with cancer has made the public view her differently in recent months. The princess announced she had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of the disease in March 2024. "Her cancer diagnosis and her personal decision to record a video for the nation demonstrated her grace, composure and sense of duty," said Fordwich. "Her poise and strength were on full display, as it has been during all of her public engagements before and since." "Importantly, the public admired her humanity and ability to weather storms without either drama or complaining," Fordwich shared. "This renders her a vital anchor for the future of the monarchy. Overall, polling shows that the British public's faith in the monarchy is bolstered by Catherine's visible strength and reliability, especially since she and William are representative, in an ever-changing and chaotic world, of a solid collective future." Fordwich is adamant that Kate's future is looking bright. The princess will quickly be embraced by the public as queen when the time comes, she insisted. "Her admirable stoicism and discretion, which she has consistently displayed during difficult periods, is of tremendous appeal," she said. "… The [past] media scrutiny and classist attitudes she endured… it strengthened her, rendering her the stalwart senior royal she is today."
Daily Mail
12-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
King George's overwhelming realisation following Edward VIII's departure – which got him sobbing on his mother's shoulder for an hour
It was meant to be a day of joy and celebration. A day when the House of Windsor would rise, phoenix-like, out of the ashes of the Abdication. Instead it was a day fraught with fear, loathing and a large dollop of incompetence. The Coronation of King George VI – King Charles 's grandfather – took place on May 12, 1937 against a troubling backdrop of uncertainty about the future of monarchy in Britain. The big question was: is the new King up to the job? George – or Bertie, as he was known by the family – was the second son of King George V and ideally placed to succeed his elder brother David, whose 325-day reign as King Edward VIII had ended abruptly five months before when he fled the country leaving behind a throne, an empire and a shocked nation. Despite warning-bells ringing for many months prior to Edward's departure, nobody thought to prepare the stuttering, ailing second son for kingship. And when the realisation finally dawned that Bertie would have to step up to the job, he sobbed for an hour on his mother's shoulder. He knew nothing about being King. And if Bertie was fearful of the path ahead, that was nothing by comparison with those who surrounded him – courtiers, politicians and churchmen. Few of them thought he could do it. The cracks in his reign started to show less than two months into the job, when in January 1937 Buckingham Palace announced Bertie wouldn't be attending the fabulous Durbar in India which had been arranged to celebrate his arrival on the throne. 'He was overwhelmed with the magnitude of the task thrust upon him,' reported his private secretary Lord Wigram. 'And he [insisted he] must have more time to settle down.' Wigram added that the King's doctors were advising against anything that could add to the nervous strain to which the new monarch was prone. One newspaper wrote that Bertie was suffering 'falling fits' – or, in other words, epilepsy. All this nervousness at the very top of the tree increased public speculation about Bertie's mental and physical health. The News Chronicle reported on 'a crop of rumours that the King's health is causing grave concern to the Cabinet and the royal entourage.' It wasn't just the politicians. Another newspaper report revealed, 'There is a malicious whispering campaign in Britain directed against the King. The scandal-mongers, who include famous Mayfair hosts and hostesses, prominent stockbrokers, and some politicians, might find themselves being charged with treason.' Not much chance of that. Stanley Baldwin, the prime minister, was sufficiently fearful Bertie might suffer a breakdown that he advised him to stay away from London at Sandringham for 'as long as possible' in the run-up to the Coronation, in order to calm his nerves. 'The Royal Family – and Britain – could not withstand a second failure,' wrote the historian Kenneth Rose. 'King Edward's departure had torn apart the fabric of monarchy. If King George was not fit enough to take on kingly responsibility, all faith in the monarchy as an institution would be lost. At that time, there were no other credible candidates worthy of sitting on the throne.' With no Plan B in place, those closest to the Palace grew ever more nervous as the big day approached. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Cosmo Lang, declared 'It is not worthwhile [having] Television [cameras covering the ceremony],' and turned down the BBC's request to have cameras in the Abbey. In fact the Archbishop realised that with live TV coverage, there was no possibility of censoring the output should something go wrong. And people were increasingly feeling that it would go wrong. 'Interfering and officious as ever,' wrote Bertie's biographer Sarah Bradford, 'Lang now recommended a new speech therapist to treat the King.' Up until now Bertie had relied on Australian Lionel Logue, whose great work in eradicating his stammer was captured in the film The King's Speech starring Colin Firth. The two men had a close relationship, and Logue had made great strides in dealing with the King's affliction. In the end it was realised that to introduce somebody new, with new techniques, to Bertie in the short run-up to the ceremony could prove disastrous. Far worse for Bertie than the ordeal ahead in the Abbey was the prospect of his Coronation Day broadcast. The microphone had become his gravest enemy. But with Logue, the BBC's Robert Wood and the corporation's formidable chairman Lord Reith all standing supportively nearby, Bertie got through the broadcast with flying colours. For him, the worst was over. That left the Coronation itself, an ancient ritual going back a thousand years and more. For the King, it turned into a bit of a comedy. At the dress-rehearsal he had to hold back his laughter as the pompous Archbishop of Canterbury and the roly-poly Dean of Westminster cannoned into each other and tripped over things. The next day's Daily Mail praised the 'glorious ceremony' which had gone off without a hitch The Bishop of Norwich, an elderly gentleman, was no match for the hefty Bible he was supposed to carry through the proceedings – 'he would have collapsed under the weight,' wrote Sarah Bradford and a smaller lightweight version had to be quickly found to save his blushes. Coronation Day started bright and early – 3am – with the testing of the public address loudspeakers just outside Bertie's bedroom window. 'Bands and marching troops for lining the streets arrived at 5am so sleep was impossible,' the King groaned to his diary. 'I could eat no breakfast and had a sinking feeling inside.' At the Abbey a fainting Presbyterian chaplain held up the arriving procession of Bertie's queen, Elizabeth, and 'I was kept waiting, it seemed as if for hours.' As he was due to read his Coronation oath, Bertie found the words had been obscured by the thumb of the Archbishop holding the book, while the Duke of Portland and the Marquess of Salisbury tangled up their Garter chains of office over a silk cushion. And then, to be helpful, someone had stitched a small piece of red thread as a marker so that the Archbishop would be sure to put the ancient Coronation crown on Bertie's head the right way round. Someone, equally helpful, had taken the thread away so Bertie never knew whether it was on the right way round. Just then, as he rose after the crowning, a bishop stood on his robe 'I had to tell him to get off it pretty sharply as I nearly fell down,' recalled Bertie with a laugh. In the end, though, through sheer guts and determination and supported by his loving wife Elizabeth, Bertie got through the day and began his reign proper, a reign which was to last a relatively short 15 years until his death aged 56 in January 1952 – but one which restored faith in the stability and importance of monarchy in Britain.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kate Middleton Styles Bespoke Emilia Wickstead Coatdress for 80th Anniversary of V-E Day Commemorations
Kate Middleton joined members of her family and the House of Windsor for a special V-E Day commemoration on Monday in London. The British royal family marked the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, which marks the formal end of World War II. For the special, historic occasion, the Princess of Wales rewore a dress from her royal wardrobe, a mostly monochrome attire. The bespoke coatdress was created by British designer Emilia Wickstead in an aubergine hue. More from WWD A Look Back at Prince William and Kate Middleton's Royal Wedding Emilia Wickstead Designs New Uniforms for Air New Zealand A Look Back at Princess Diana's Met Gala Appearance: Her John Galliano Slipdress, Jewelry and More Details The dress featured long sleeves and a flowing skirt with subtle pleating. A cinched waist added definition to the ensemble. The dress also took inspiration from suited attire with sinuous lapels with sharp angles. Kate coordinated the dress with her pillbox hat courtesy of Sean Barrett Millinery. To complete the ensemble, the Princess of Wales wore a pair of neutral pumps by Ralph Lauren. The American designer is one the British royal gravitated toward during her recent excursion to Scotland alongside husband Prince William at the end of April. To accessorize her look, Kate opted for pieces of jewelry with certain significance for the occasion, as well as pieces that coordinated with her ensemble. The Princess of Wales wore a Royal Navy Air Fleet Pin, a way to honor the veterans who attended the special ceremony. She also wore a ruby necklace, which coordinated seamlessly with her ruby and diamond earrings. As for the rest of the Wales family, Prince William donned military garb for his attire. The Prince and Princess of Wales's children wore mostly muted tones in navy, with 10-year-old Princess Charlotte wearing the same ensemble she styled for 2024 Christmas Day celebrations. Members of the British royal family, including King Charles III and Queen Camilla (wearing a sapphire blue Fiona Clare ensemble), assembled on Buckingham Palace's iconic balcony for a special military flyover to commemorate V-E Day. View Gallery Launch Gallery: Kate Middleton's Style Through the Years: Burberry Suits, Alexander McQueen Dresses & More Best of WWD La La Anthony's Style Through the Years: Met Gala Looks, MTV Days and More Photos Emma Chamberlain's Style Through the Years: Met Gala Looks, Red Carpets and More, Photos Royals at the Met Gala Through the Years: Princess Diana in John Galliano, Queen Rania and More Photos
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
If whingeing Harry really wanted reconciliation he wouldn't be publicly attacking his father
Harry. How has it come to this? What in the name of Dieu et mon droit were you thinking when you sat down with the BBC to air your grievances about your elderly, ailing father, King Charles? Maybe you've lived in the US for too long to remember that prime time is no place to resolve family disputes – just ask Jeremy Kyle. And where were the wise heads, respectfully advising you there is no more unedifying spectacle than a petulant prince, bellyaching about the unfairness of his lot? They are long gone, of course. And with them the admittedly archaic but nonetheless fail-safe 'never complain, never explain' mantra that has stood the House of Windsor in good stead for generations. Instead we have watched in genuine dismay your descent from happy-go-lucky rebel to querulous victim as you embraced the tell-all, sell-all culture in a modish bid to be heard and feel seen. But monetising pain – in your memoir Spare, on your Netflix series – isn't always the best route to catharsis. If it were, you wouldn't still be burning with such a sense of injustice or so mired in self pity as to be unable to swallow your pride, regain some perspective and stop pestering the courts with your obsession over taxpayer-funded security when you visit the UK with your family. Credit: BBC News This week the courts rejected your latest appeal. Your response? To blame The Firm, bleat about a 'good old fashioned establishment stitch up' and melodramatically argue that although your father is battling cancer and you don't know how much time he has left, the UK isn't safe enough for you to bring his grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet here to see him. What, even Sandringham? I know for a fact that if you're travelling from LAX and you change at Amsterdam, you can fly straight into Norwich airport. There's even a lovely family-run cafe and bakery in the terminal, so you can meet the King there for a latte and a seeded bap if you don't want to risk the A147. Where there's a will there's a way Harry. The grandstanding is getting tedious and there's precious little dignity in a 40-year-old father-of-two behaving like a stroppy teenager because his dad won't wheel out a motorcade every time he nips out to the vape I'm not sure there's a violin tiny enough to accompany the tragic tale of a lovable freckled boy, born into the most prestigious royal family on the planet who dramatically turned his back on family and friends for love, bought a £12 million mansion and then discovered civilian life is a bit I strongly suspect your gripe is less about security and more about status. Back home in Montecito, you and Meghan are surrounded by billionaires, who are notoriously difficult to impress, even if her homespun trad wife series has been recommissioned by Netflix and her As Ever raspberry jam is whooshing off the shelves faster than a Eurofighter Typhoon. And no, you can't have one of those at your beck and call. Back here in the Old Country you still have traction, soppy fools that we are. Call it prodigal son syndrome but when you told the BBC 'I would love reconciliation with my family' we almost believed you – until you magnanimously spoke of 'forgiving' them, even though it was you who blew the bloody doors off in Spare, leaving everyone from Queen Camilla to the Princess of Wales peppered with shrapnel. Oh and that self righteous bit about the King not speaking to you 'because of this security stuff' – it didn't stop you appealing the original court's decision twice, did it now? Sharper than a serpent's tooth is a child's ingratitude (magnified a hundred times when it's on telly) and yet Charles, a loving if flawed father, craves rapprochement. The rest of us, not so much. I would be astonished if your brother the Prince of Wales ever speaks to you again. When someone is fortunate enough to be born into privilege, how it shapes them is a mark of character. In William we see a sense of duty. In you Harry, a sense of entitlement. As ugly as it is shameful. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Princess Beatrice and Her Husband Edo Arrive Holding Hands for Easter Sunday Services in Windsor
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi joined the British royal family for Easter Sunday services at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. The princess chose a dark green belted coat dress with matching Mary Jane-style heels, topped off with a sparkling gold headband for the occasion. Her sister and brother-in-law, Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank, also attended services, as did as her parents, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York. Following a poignant appearance at Maundy Thursday services at Durham Cathedral King Charles and Queen Camilla led the group inside St. George's Chapel to mark the holiday. Also present were Princess Anne and her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, as well as Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh. Notably missed were Prince William and Kate Middleton, and their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. The Wales family will be spending the holiday at Anmer Hall, their country home in Norfolk. Princess Beatrice was also recently seen alongside her sister Princess Eugenie as well as several other members of the Royal Family earlier in April at the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix. Other members of the House of Windsor spotted at the Bahrain International Circuit included Peter Phillips and his daughters Savannah, 14, and Isla, 13, and Zara and Mike Tindall—none of whom attended Easter Mattins services today. Earlier this year, Princess Beatrice and Edo welcomed their second child, Athena Elizabeth Rose, in January. Baby Athena is little sister to Beatrice and Edo's daughter, Sienna Elizabeth, who was born in September 2021, as well as Edo's son, Christopher Woolf (known by family as 'Wolfie'), from a previously relationship. In March, the princess penned an essay about her daughter's premature birth for British Vogue. Beatrice noted in the essay that she teamed up with Alice Naylor-Leyland, founder of home decor and tablescape brand Mrs. Alice, to raise money for Borne, an organization dedicated to researching and preventing premature births. Beatrice will also serve as the group's patron. 'I was very fortunate to be monitored closely by a medical team and I'm extremely aware of how lucky I am,' Beatrice wrote in the essay. 'This is a driving force in me to do as much as possible to help where I can.' You Might Also Like 12 Weekend Getaway Spas For Every Type of Occasion 13 Beauty Tools to Up Your At-Home Facial Game
