As fabulous as being a royal seems in theory, it's not all glamour and glitz. Kate Middleton works really hard — especially in the wake of Megxit — and she's very isolated. Pretty much no one understands her life, except for other royals. Fortunately, the Duchess of Cambridge has allies in the royal family who have her back through thick and thin.
Some of Kate's allies are rather unexpected, but she's such a congenial person that we suppose it makes sense that she can bond even with family members who are much older than her. At the same time, there are other family members she may not be as close with, and she's lost a couple of friends recently. That's what makes the people she can count on that much more important.
Sophie Wessex
Body language expert Judi James told Express that she's noticed the Duchess of Cambridge and the Countess of Wessex seem close. "Many of the poses of the two women together show Sophie face-checking Kate with quite strong bouts of watchful-looking eye contact to suggest she's taking a semi-maternal approach," Judi said. "Raised brows and what's called a 'pinging' smile that implies she wants to ensure Kate is enjoying herself."
The two women don't always get the chance to spend time together, but whenever they're paired up at official events, they seem relaxed by each other's sides.
Kate Has Copied Part of Sophie's Approach to Royal Life
Although Kate is undoubtedly her own person, Judi added that she's seen some personality mirroring between Kate and Sophie, as Kate has picked up on Sophie's chill demeanor. The countess is about 20 years older than Kate, which made her the perfect mentor for when first joining the royal family. It's a wild world to step into, and Sophie's been by Kate's side for many major moments of it.
Prince Philip
Prince Philip is many decades Kate's senior, but they still get along so well. They're often spotted smiling and laughing together at official events, as if telling private jokes. It's an unlikely pairing, but we think it's sweet they get on so well.
They Also Both Respect Protocol
In another Express interview, Judi talked about Prince Philip and Kate Middleton's bond. Not only is it forged by a shared sense of humor, but a shared sense of the importance of protocol. Philip is from the old guard of royals who respect the written and unwritten rules of being part of the monarchy. Since marrying Prince William, Kate has displayed a similar approach to protocol, even reportedly getting in a fight with Meghan Markle over the need to follow it.
Queen Elizabeth
Kate Middleton can reportedly count the Queen herself among her royal family allies. According to Cheatsheet, the two grew closer after Meghan Markle entered the family. Kate reportedly went to the Queen to build a united front, and the Queen agreed to help show the Duchess of Sussex the ropes so everything would be smooth sailing. Things ultimately didn't work out, but if that meeting between Kate and the Queen did happen, it shows how close they are.
The Queen Is the Most Important Ally to Have
Having Queen Elizabeth in one's corner is a huge deal for members of the royal family, and the monarch's body language suggests that she does have quite a fondness for Kate. Judi told Express that the Queen doesn't often use eye contact, but she does with Kate, which suggests she genuinely enjoys speaking with her. And when the Queen visited Kate's garden last year, the duchess's eyes lit up as she showed the Queen around. There's a lot of mutual respect there.
Many Reports Also Suggest the Queen Really Likes Kate
Body language speculation aside, there are also reports from royal experts that seem to confirm the theory that the Queen is fond of Kate. "The Queen is a fan," a source told Vanity Fair's Katie Nicholl in late 2019. "Kate is unflappable. Her mantra is very like the Queen's keep calm and carry on approach in life, and she has the added benefit of making the royal family seem almost normal and in touch."
The article was published before Megxit. Since then, Kate has remained even more steadfastly loyal to the royal family. We can't imagine that's gone unnoticed by the Queen.
The Queen's Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Need proof that the Queen adores the Duchess of Cambridge? In 2019, she gave Kate the great honor of taking over as Patron of the Royal Photographic Society. It's a role the Queen held since 1952, so it's a big deal that she handed it off. But she knew that Kate loves photography, so she let her grandaughter-in-law take it over. That's basically the biggest way public way that the Queen can show she cares.
Kate Recently Lost a Big Ally
As this 2012 photo shows, Kate Middleton has been friends with Autumn Phillips — basically since she married into the royal family. Autumn was married to the Queen's grandson, Peter, but they recently separated. With Autumn only royal by marriage, she'll likely be cut from future royal events, and Kate won't have her friend by her side any longer.
Autumn Was a Breath of Normality for Kate
Being a royal can be intensely isolating, because not everyone can be trusted. Kate and Autumn both married into the family and had more regular lives in the past. As such, Express reports that they were able to strongly relate to one another, and Kate will miss having that bond — especially at polo matches where they used to hang out with their kids.
Autumn also isn't the only ally Kate lost recently.
She Also Lost Prince Harry
Once upon a time, William, Harry, and Kate were a fabulous trio. Meghan Markle shook that trio up, and now, Kate reportedly really misses her old bond with Harry. A source told Us Weekly that Kate "wishes she could speak to Harry. She misses him and fears she'll never be close to him again."
That's so sad!
But Kate Will No Doubt Side With William
More and more, reports have come out to suggest that there will be no fixing Harry and William's relationship any time soon. And as much as Kate may miss her friend, she's also fiercely loyal. She'll no doubt stand by William for as long as the brothers are feuding — so she really may not talk to Harry for a while.
Kate Is Reportedly Not That Close With Charles & Camilla
Reportedly, neither Prince Charles nor Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, wanted William to marry Kate Middleton. Camilla even allegedly called Kate "pretty but dim". If all of that is true, it would probably make things awkward between them now. Good thing they didn't actually stop William from carrying on dating and marrying Kate, though.
They're Always Polite in Public
If there is drama behind the scenes with Charles, Camilla, and Kate, we wouldn't know it from their public demeanor. The three of them are always polite to one another in public, laughing and smiling. Maybe they've put the past behind them. After all, Will and Kate have been married for almost a decade now, so things worked out.
But at Least Kate Does Seem to Have Several Solid Allies
For every ally the duchess has lost, she has another she can turn to. Sophie, Prince Philip, and obviously, the Queen are all great people to have on her side as she navigates the tricky waters of being a royal. And, of course, she has Prince William and her family outside of the royals to lean on.
She's got this.
