Kate Middleton reportedly had one stipulation before she married Prince William
QUEEN Elizabeth and Kate Middleton always had a mutual admiration for one another. No doubt one of the parts of Kate that the Queen admired was her steely resolve — and the current Princess of Wales had one condition she presented before the monarch before she married Prince William on April 29, 2011.
Royal biographer Robert Jobson wrote in his 2024 book Catherine, The Princess of Wales: The Biography that Kate presented her terms before both the Queen and Prince Charles, with her No. 1 stipulation being that Kate’s family would come before any and all royal duties.
“[Kate] established some fundamental life rules that she would stick to when she joined The Firm,” Jobson wrote, per Brides. He added, “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,” Jobson continued.
This commitment has remained steadfast for the future queen in the nearly 15 years since William and Kate married, particularly after the births of their three kids Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Though dedicated to her royal work, her husband and kids have always come first.
“The royal couple will, of course, carry out their fair share of royal duties, but they both believe that being good parents is their most important role,” Jobson wrote.
Kate’s commitment to family likely comes from her own tight-knit birth family, the Middletons, and her parents Carole and Michael Middleton. Kate’s parents were “always there for her,” Jobson wrote, and the Princess of Wales wants George, Charlotte, and Louis to have the same experience, particularly “that same level of security.”
“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,” according to Jobson. “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.”
Even early on, royal biographer Russell Myers told People that Queen Elizabeth “could see [Kate] had all the qualities of a future queen,” and after William and Kate’s short-lived breakup in 2007, this belief in Kate was a “catalyst for William changing course.”
Before their 2011 wedding, the Queen and Kate had a private audience together, Myers wrote in his book William and Catherine: The Monarchy’s New Era: The Inside Story. Kate was “understandably nervous,” Myers wrote as the bride-to-be headed for afternoon tea with the monarch.
At the meeting, the Queen eschewed talking about the details of the wedding “and instead looked to comfort the young woman she hoped would successfully shape the institution for the next generation,” Myers added.
“According to one former courter, the Queen offered words of encouragement to Catherine regarding her future role as a senior member of the family, as well as guidance in how to deal with ‘headstrong’ husbands,” he continued. “William had a reputation among his staff and family for being down to earth and thoughtful, preferring to be addressed by his first name instead of His Royal Highness or Sir, but he could also be direct and plain-spoken when he wanted things done a particular way.”
“The Queen’s husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, was similarly forthright, and so she was well placed to advise Catherine,” Myers wrote. “After all, her marriage had lasted more than 70 years, with a fair bit of compromise required as a foundation.”
