Kate Middleton reportedly had very clear ideas about her life after marrying Prince William. Royal author Robert Jobson, in his new book Catherine, the Princess of Wales, reveals that Kate went straight to Queen Elizabeth II with some strict rules before agreeing to join the royal family.
“[Kate] established some fundamental life rules that she would stick to when she joined The Firm,” Jobson writes. “Her ‘terms’ were in fact presented to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles… She was clear from the outset that she would not be pigeonholed into carrying out particular duties… her priority, she emphasized, would always be her family” told US Magazine.
Known for being very present in her children’s lives while fulfilling her royal duties, Kate made it clear that her family would always come first. Jobson also claims that Kate will significantly influence the monarchy’s future direction.
“Kate will be very important in shaping the monarchy into an institution that’s relevant to modern people and not just looking over its shoulder at past traditions,” he writes. “She’s a really stylish, incredibly graceful, and beautiful lady, but she’s got a steely core, and that enables her to say what she believes. She’s not afraid of giving her input and she influences a lot of people that make the decisions.”
Jobson also claims in the Daily Mail that Kate and Prince William wanted to release a tougher statement on Meghan Markle’s racism accusations, which came to light during her Oprah Winfrey interview. Meghan and Prince Harry claimed there were “several conversations” about the color of their son Prince Archie’s skin before he was born.
The Palace faced criticism over the allegations, leading them to release a statement on the matter. The statement, issued on behalf of the late Queen, said: “The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.”
Jobson claims that it was Kate who decided to make the statement stronger. “The original draft of the statement had been much milder, but both William and Catherine had been keen to toughen it up. It was the then Duchess of Cambridge herself who came up with the powerful phrase ‘recollections may vary’.”
Her husband also addressed the allegations, telling reporters: “We are very much not a racist family.”
With her firm stance on family priorities and her influential role within the royal family, Kate Middleton continues to shape the modern monarchy.