Everyone talks about how, unlike Prince Charles and Princess Diana, Kate Middleton and Prince William were actually in love when they got engaged β which is obviously a great foundation for marriage. (And that's cool.) But if y'all were to tell us that as they started dating seriously, and that Kate was also enthralled by the possibility of being queen consort one day, we would not even be mad. Aside from being an actual ruling monarch, being a British queen consort is one of the most prestigious gigs in the world.
Although it's a position that comes with enough responsibility to break a normal person, we all know that the Duchess of Cambridge is perfectly suited for the job β being actually made of steel and smiles, two characteristics necessary to thrive under the massive public scrutiny that comes with being a British royal. Of course, barring a tragedy, William will not be king anytime soon, so Kate will not be queen consort just yet.
She's got time to prepare for it β and actually has been for almost as long as she's been duchess, with Queen Elizabeth herself as her mentor β so we have time to ponder how Kate's life will change. (Spoiler alert: it's going ot be a major shift.) Everything about her life will change β where she lives, how she lives, who she confides in, how she eats, how she parents, and how much influence she'll have.
There will be major perks, and there will be major drawbacks, but we're sure Kate is ready and willing to do it all. Here are 17 ways that her life will change once William takes the throne.
Title Change
Yes, we all still know her best as Kate Middleton, but her official title is the Duchess of Cambridge, and no one ever calls her by her first name in public. (She's addressed as Her Royal Highness.) Once William is king, though, she'll be called Queen Catherine. Believe it or not, that will mark the first time she'll officially use her first name as a royal.
Unlimited Access to Priceless Jewels
At the moment, Queen Elizabeth lends Kate certain jewelry pieces from the royal collection β which includes mountains of tiaras, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and brooches passed down through the centuries. But once Kate is queen consort, she'll have unlimited access to everything, including the enormous tiaras, and gemstone-encrusted necklaces that the current queen wears to state dinners and the like. From what we've seen so far, Kate has stayed away from super showy pieces, so we wonder what her personal taste will be once she has access to the entire collection.
Moving to a Swanky New Home
Kate worked hard to transform the family's apartment at Kensington Palace, but it won't be their home once William is king. The official London residence for British monarchs is Buckingham Palace, with Queen Victoria being the first to live there. When William is crowned, he and Kate and the kids will likely move into the enormous palace.
Though it's not a rule Prince Charles is rumored to be planning to stay in his current home, Clarence House, when he becomes king.
Trading Her Tiara for a Crown
Yes, a crown. (She gets one, too, OK?) When William becomes king, there will be a lavish coronation ceremony for him, complete with traditional music, two scepters and a robe, and anointing by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who will place a crazy heavy historic crown on his head. But as his queen consort, Kate also gets to rock a shiny dome … during her own mini coronation ceremony, y'all. The last three queen consorts had a crown made especially for them, but Kate may opt to wear the crown worn by Queen Elizabeth's mother, which contains a jewel said to be cursed.
We'd still wear it.
Waking Up to the Sound of Bagpipes Every Day
Yup. One of the most obscure jobs in the monarchy is that of the Piper to the Sovereign, a man who has exactly one duty: Play the bagpipes under Queen Elizabeth's window for 15 minutes. (A whole 15 minutes of shrieking sheep's guts, y'all.) "Bonus": He travels with QE2 wherever she goes. Assuming that Kate will share a bed with William β or be in her own adjacent room β Kate will be hearing them pipes. If we were her, we'd nip this tradition in the bud as soon as the coronation ceremony is over … or at least sleep in a separate bedroom from William, in a completely different wing.
Smaller Circle of Trust
When sources close to Kate were quoted anonymously for an explosive Tatler cover story on Kate, it marked the first time people around her had blabbed to the media. Leaks about Kate β whether about her personal or professional life β have been virtually nonexistent. If Kate wants to keep her business out of the press, she'll have to tighten up her list of confidants more and more as she gets closer to the throne. Good thing she can rely on her family. They've all remained mum.
Less Privacy
As queen consort, Kate will have less privacy than she enjoys now. Just one example is her daily diet. We have no real idea what she eats in a day β though lots of us would love to know her diet secrets! But we know that Queen Elizabeth eats cereal, toast, and tea in the morning, has a drink every day, occasionally likes fish and chips on Fridays, and loves Sunday roasts. We know, because staff members and former staff members have been allowed to speak to the press. So, at the same time that Kate will limit who she confides in, other more mundane details will emerge. Something to look forward to.
Amassing More Wealth
Kate and William are worth an estimated $50 million combined, but once on the throne, William β and therefore Kate! β will receive income from the Duchy of Lancaster, which rakes in $20 million from a combination of land, properties, and assets. Aside from that, they'll likely inherit the Queen's personal properties β as opposed to royal palaces that are property of the Crown β including the Sandringham and Balmoral estates, in addition to any money, jewels, art and other effects she personally owns and bequeaths to them in her will.
Work Hard To Keep Prince George Grounded
It's no secret that Kate is very hands-on when it comes to her kids. She's been known to cancel appearances to stay home with a sick kiddo, and she's constantly baking and doing hands-on stuff β like tending gardens and chicken coops with them. It's a reflection of how she was brought up, and a similar take on parenting as Princess Diana, who raised her sons to have as normal a life as possible.
Once Kate is queen consort, and Prince George's education as a future king starts in earnest, we can imagine she'll have to work even harder to keep him grounded, in touch with regular life, and lessen the isolation that comes with the knowledge that he was born a future monarch. Prince William may be a hands-on dad, but let's be real: Kate is a mama bear, and with William attending to official duties, the job will increasingly fall to her.
.... And Guide Princess Charlotte & Prince Louis
Princess Charlotte and Louis will likely never rule as queen or king, but they're already being primed for a life as working royals. We all saw how, this past spring, Charlotte went door-to-door delivering care packages in the neighborhood around the family's country home β and how Kate and William were also reportedly were planning to bring the kids along on more overseas trips. But once Mama Bear becomes queen consort, the responsibility of further helping them define their roles within the family will surely be Kate's job.
Will Finally Outrank Everyone
… except William.
Currently, Kate has to curtsy to the queen, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. They all outrank her. However, did y'all know that Kate is supposed to bow to Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, because they are blood princesses born into the royal family, and outrank her if Kate is not accompanied by William? We have no way of knowing for sure how closely Kate and the princesses follow that tradition, but we do know that once Kate is queen consort β and the elder royals have passed on β she will outrank everyone except her hubby. No more curtseying, except maybe to William on coronation day.
More Power & Influence
Kate is already being hailed as the savior of the monarchy, given how flawlessly she's conducted herself since becoming duchess, how big her following is, and how willing she's been to delve into an ever-growing set of responsibilities. If she's able to keep it up β and she seems to have the steel backbone to pull it off β that's all going to pay off big time when Kate becomes queen consort. Think about it: Kate and William have known each other for 20 years already. She is his closest confidant already. Kate is literally the mother of the royal family's future generation. By the time she's queen consort, she will also have built a boatload of experience and public goodwill to be uber-influential, helping William shape the monarchy for the future.
Unable to Avoid Leaders She Dislikes
Kate will be present at official events β like banquets and state dinners as queen consort β and she'll have to mix with leaders she may not necessarily like. Diplomacy doesn't care about anyoneβs feelings, after all. (It's just part of the job.) When Queen Elizabeth held a state dinner and other events for President Donald Trump, Kate and William were able to avoid being photographed or filmed with him, likely due to his off-color tweets about Kate and Princess Diana. They wouldn't be able to get away with that once on the throne.
Won't Have to Drive Anywhere to Work Out
Sure, Kate has a full-blown gym at Kensington Palace β where her equally exercise-obsessed sister, Pippa, is said to join her for grueling sets β but she also (reportedly) drives to Buckingham Palace every day to use the swimming pool there. Once she's queen consort, all she'll have to do is walk over, and if she fancies a run (and she clearly does, judging by her calves and thigh muscles), a large part of the Buckingham Palace gardens is private.
Most Lovable Royal
It's safe to say that the general public respect and like Prince William, who is smart, personable enough, and the son of the adored Princess Diana. But let's face it: He's no Prince Harry when it comes to charm and easy manners, and that likely won't change once he's king. Kate, on the other hand, always has a big smile, comes across as relatable and unsnobbish, and also seems to bring out the best in William on joint appearances. Because of her hard work, the way she seems to connect easily with people, her obvious love for her kids, and her commoner background, we think she stands to become more beloved than William.
Queen for Life
Hey, guess what? The last few queen consorts have outlived their husbands, so if healthy, exercise-loving Kate sticks around longer than William (may he live a thousand years), she'll still be a queen, and retain all the privileges that come with that. She'll get a state funeral, and her consort crown will be placed on her coffin, as it was when Queen Elizabeth's mom died in 2002.
She'll Stop Making Meals
Though at the moment Kate likes to get in the kitchen and make meals for her family, she's not likely to tie on an apron once she's queen consort. She probably has little time for that already! Aside from being hella busy, once living in Buckingham Palace, Kate will be able to simply pick up the phone and call down to the kitchen for whatever she wants. The palace's kitchen is famous for its abundant staff and elaborate signature dishes. We're sure they also don't mind running out for takeout curry.
