Today is the Princess of Wales’s 44th birthday. Happy birthday to the Capricorn Millennial Future Kween Kate. It’s so funny to think that they’ve tried to make “Millennial queen” stick and no one buys it. Probably because Kate has never felt “of” her generation. She’s always been a throwback to another era, an Edwardian era or even a Victorian era. Which is basically the point of the Daily Mail’s birthday keenery for “Kate at 44”: Kate is going to stick around because she knows the rules and she’s always been willing to do what it takes to get the ultimate prize. Some highlights:
Stepford Keen: In November 2023, she was viciously reduced to a ‘Stepford-like royal wife’ by Omid Scobie in his book Endgame, where the Sussexes’ biographer decried her ‘cold’ persona. His analysis was that Kate had ‘never challenged the system with public struggles or oversized aspirations’ while fitting neatly within the mould of a ‘princess’. What’s more, Kate has also had to contend with constant comparison with William’s mother Princess Diana.
Kate’s legacy: ‘She is not likely to emulate Diana who reached out to others brilliantly but was also brittle and deeply unhappy. They are too different to be compared,’ he explained. ‘Catherine’s legacy will be one of total loyalty to her husband and the institution of monarchy.’
Kate’s renewed purpose & pitiful work numbers: Kate appears to have a renewed sense of purpose as Mr Fitzwilliams noted she is ‘happily in remission from cancer and increasing her public engagements’. Data from the Court Circular revealed the mother-of-three undertook 68 public engagements after announcing she was in remission during an emotional visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, where she received treatment.
The Early Years busywork: Mr Fitzwilliams said royal fans can expect to see Kate at even more ‘high-profile’ engagements that support the cause when she becomes Queen. ‘She has said that her work on early childhood is her “life’s work”. Expect this to be a project she will continue to support when she is Queen, just as Charles has with inter-religious understanding and the environment. She has founded the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood and given it an extremely high profile.’
Fewer projects: The royal commentator also noted that Kate, like William, was seemingly choosing fewer projects to sink her teeth into – rather than performing cursory duties for a wider variety of causes. That’s not to say that Kate doesn’t understand – or want to uphold – the traditions of the Royal Family.
Kate’s style: Mr Fitzwilliams elaborated: ‘She is regal yet also has a contemporary look, her fashion choices are iconic and she will be known as one who was fashionable and famous, but in a relatable way.’
The Sussexes’ defection: One of her most important jobs when Prince William becomes King will be revamping the Royal Family’s reputation for a new generation of Britons – in part due to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s defection. ‘Partly owing to the antics of the Sussexes, a majority of young people currently favour a republic. However the same group shows poll ratings of 70-75 per cent for Catherine, and I believe her legacy will include changing the attitudes of many of this pivotal group.’
Kate’s shampoo commercial/cancer-free video in 2024: As a staunch advocate for mental health and wellness, Kate could help shift the narrative of ‘work-life balance’ that resonates with millennials and Gen Z. In another moving video released in September that year, the Princess said her focus was to remain cancer-free while making a gradual and ‘measured’ return to public life. The poignant video underscored another key part of what Mr Fitzwilliams believes will become Kate’s legacy. Mr Fitzwilliams said this showed how ‘one of Kate’s legacies is certain to be as someone who, together with William, prioritised a work-life balance successfully. She together with William, brought up three children, ensuring they were shielded, save on special occasions, from the glare of the international media in an age of social media. This will have been a challenge. As for Mr Scobie’s ‘Stepford wife’ jibe, today it only shows just how far Kate has come.
“Catherine’s legacy will be one of total loyalty to her husband and the institution of monarchy.” I mean… in some sense, this is correct, although I think it’s more nuanced than that. Kate’s “total loyalty to her husband” is her protective shield and William’s protective shield too. No matter what he does and no matter what she does, they are committed to the image of their marriage. Their shared goal is promoting the fiction that they are a loving couple with three well-adjusted children. Obviously, it’s been clear for years that William and Kate live separate lives. Still, that falls under “loyalty to William and the crown.” She’s fine with all of these arrangements, especially the one made in 2024 after her mystery abdominal surgery.
What else? They’re trying to put lipstick on a pig by talking about Kate’s Early Years busywork and her overall work numbers. And I’m surprised by how little energy is being given to Kate versus the Sussexes for this birthday. I remember Kate’s 40th birthday articles, which were almost ENTIRELY about how much she hated the Sussexes.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images and Kensington Palace’s social media. Cover courtesy of The Sun.
