“Queen Elizabeth is a fan, Kate is unflappable,” a source told Vanity Fair in November 2019. Royal drama watchers will remember that it was not always so. In fact, Kate Middleton, wife of Prince William and Britain’s future queen consort, began her life at the royal palace on the wrong foot.
As she marked her 44th birthday on Friday, following two challenging years that included a battle with cancer she has since overcome, as well as ongoing family turmoil, we take a closer look at how she transformed from "Waity Katie" into the most beloved figure in the British royal family.
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Kate Middleton, the most beloved figure in the British royal family
(Photo: Jordan Pettitt - Pool/Getty Images)
Catherine Elizabeth Middleton was born on January 9, 1982, to Carol Goldsmith, a flight attendant, and Michael Middleton, who worked in the aviation industry. She is the eldest of three children, with a younger sister, Pippa, and brother, James.
William and Kate met in 2001 while studying at the University of St. Andrews. They began as close friends, and it took two years for their relationship to turn romantic. Even then, the path was not smooth. In 2007, after 4 years together, they briefly split before reconciling months later. The comeback was successful. They became engaged in October 2010 and married in April 2011.
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Bride and groom: Prince William and Kate Middleton
(Photo: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
Unlike Meghan Markle, who met Queen Elizabeth within a year of beginning her relationship with Prince Harry, Middleton did not meet the queen for five years. The encounter was unplanned and took place at a large wedding attended by both women.
Although William and Kate left the encounter with a positive impression, it later emerged that Elizabeth felt differently. The queen felt that Kate wasn't "doing enough," palace sources told British media. Royal commentator Phil Dampier echoed the sentiment, noting that during the eight years Middleton dated William before their engagement, "she appeared to be doing very little."
After graduating, Middleton took a job at Jigsaw, which pleased the queen, who wanted Kate to work. The role, however, was short-lived. Despite being part-time, three days a week, Kate decided she could not balance work with her relationship and resigned. Elizabeth was reportedly displeased. A palace source said the queen was concerned by Middleton’s frequent ski trips, clubbing and holidays with friends and family, which raised red flags.
Elizabeth was furious with Kate because she was simply lazy, a palace source told the Daily Mail, adding that the palace pressured her to find a proper job and not wait idly for William’s proposal. The fact that Kate is sitting around waiting for William to show up with an engagement ring could negatively affect the monarchy, the source added.
Kate's friends rushed to her defense, saying Middleton worked full-time from her parents’ home, handling catalogs, inventory and office management. The explanations failed to convince the queen, who reportedly dubbed her "Waity Katie."
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Young and beautiful: the Prince and Princess of Wales in 2011
(Photo: Arthur Edwards-Pool/Getty Images)
Middleton’s fortunes shifted in 2016 with the arrival of a new player in royal life, actress Meghan Markle. While Elizabeth initially gave Markle a genuine chance, tensions quickly grew, and Markle became deeply unpopular within the royal family. As Markle’s standing fell, Middleton’s rose.
Rumors following Harry and Meghan’s wedding claimed Markle criticized Middleton over Princess Charlotte’s bridesmaid dress. As Markle’s reputation declined in Britain, Middleton became increasingly favored.
In November 2019, a Buckingham Palace source told Vanity Fair that the queen admired Middleton’s calm, dedication and commitment to maintaining a sense of normal family life while balancing royal duties. "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.”
Royal biographer Claudia Joseph added that it was "Kate's year." Middleton’s approachable demeanor is very much like "the girl next door, from how she dresses to how she behaves and interacts with people; she is likeable and relatable and that has made her very popular.”
Middleton continued to win favor with Queen Elizabeth, but at the same time was forced to contend with a new crisis. In Touch magazine reported that Prince William had an affair with Rose Hanbury, a former model and one of Middleton’s closest friends.
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Besties: Queen Elizabeth and Kate Middleton
(Photo: Phil Noble - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Hanbury and her husband, filmmaker David Rocksavage, were part of the couple’s social circle, known as the Turnip Toffs. Middleton reportedly asked the Hanbury couple to be "phased out" of their social circle, causing upheaval among them.
Sources claimed Middleton was jealous of Hanbury, whom William allegedly called her as the one he missed. The magazine alleged the affair took place while Middleton was pregnant with Prince Louis, prompting William to assemble a team of lawyers to combat the rumors.
Although William strongly denied the claims, speculation persisted. In the 2019 BBC Berry Royal Christmas special, viewers noticed an awkward moment when Middleton appeared to push away William's hand from her shoulder. The clip quickly went viral. “It was so embarrassing, they should have cut it in the edit. It’s exactly like what Melania does to Trump,” a British citizen tweeted.
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Prince William, Kate Middleton and Rose Hanbury: tabloid rumors
(Photo: Stephen Pond/Getty Images)
The clip fueled further rumors, especially after the couple arrived separately at a Christmas event hosted by the queen. Anonymous palace sources sought to play down the incident, claiming that “things were taken out of context” and explaining that the couple arrived in separate cars because Prince William was required to be there half an hour earlier than the others.
Kate Middleton recoils from Prince William
Hanbury’s name resurfaced for years. Despite attempts to project unity, and they were even seen in public holding hands and showing affection, in 2021, reports claimed William had renewed contact with Hanbury, and even included her name on the list of recipients of the couple’s Christmas cards, which angered Kate. At the same time, Harry and Meghan’s departure from royal life appeared to bring William and Kate closer, with the couple displaying public affection rarely seen before.
Queen Elizabeth’s death in September 2022 elevated William to heir apparent and made Kate the future queen consort. The increased scrutiny intensified.
In early 2024, Middleton disappeared from public view, prompting widespread speculation. Kensington Palace announced she had undergone abdominal surgery and would step back from duties. As weeks passed without updates, rumors spiraled.
"The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate. She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible; and her wish that her personal medical information remains private," an announcement released in January read." Kensington Palace said they would provide only "significant new information" on her medical progress, the palace spokesperson said, but the statement failed to convince the public or the media.
A Spanish journalist claimed that Middleton’s condition was more serious than the palace had reported, adding that, according to her sources, Kate had been placed in a medically induced coma after her doctors were forced to make drastic decisions following complications. Others alleged that William had left Kate for his purported lover, Hanbury, while more extreme voices claimed Middleton had been hospitalized at a mental health facility or even locked in a dungeon after seeking to leave William against the king’s wishes.
The palace attempted to ignore the rumors and even released a photograph of Kate with her three children, Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte, for Mother’s Day, but sharp-eyed observers quickly noticed the image had been heavily edited, further fueling the controversy.
The rumors continued to spiral, and close friends of the Prince and Princess of Wales sought to explain that all Kate wanted was to lift the public’s spirits and release a photo to thank people for their support. She knew everyone would scrutinize it, so she decided to edit it herself. She likes trying to make her family look its best."
Two months later, in March 2024, Kate finally addressed the situation publicly, bravely revealing that she had been diagnosed with cancer.
"In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment." To this day, the type of cancer has not been disclosed.
"This, of course, came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family."
She added, “As you can imagine, it has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be ok.”
Kate said that she is “well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body and spirits.
“William is by my side and has been a great source of comfort and reassurance, as have the love, support and kindness shown by so many of you. It means so much to both of us. We hope you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment. My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy, and I look forward to returning when I am able, but for now I must focus on making a full recovery.”
Kate Middleton reveals she was diagnosed with cancer
(Instagram)
Immediately after her disclosure, the British media, which had played a central role in the speculation surrounding her absence, shifted tone and placed the blame on the palace for concealing such significant information.
With King Charles also undergoing treatment following his own cancer diagnosis, it is understandable why Kensington Palace did not want to reveal Kate’s illness earlier. Two cancer diagnoses are too much for any family, commentators said. But even so, it proved to be a mistake.
Everyone, including members of the royal family, is entitled to privacy, but Kate is the future queen of England, and once the media began spinning wild theories, it became a massive error. Not on Kate’s part, but on the part of those who control the royal communications apparatus. They are responsible for all the drama surrounding "Where's Kate?"
There is little doubt the palace genuinely tried to protect the Princess of Wales, but its prolonged silence turned her into a subject of ridicule. While it would be easy to blame the internet and the media for amplifying speculation and gossip, the palace should have known better.
In September 2024, nine months after she was first hospitalized, Middleton shared the news that she was cancer free. In a video posted to the royal Instagram account, she said, “I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment.”
In the video, which she narrates, Kate is seen with her children and with her husband, resting her head on him for comfort. "The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family. Life as you know it can change in an instant and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown.
The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you. With humility, it also brings you face-to-face with your own vulnerabilities in a way you have never considered before, and with that, a new perspective on everything. This time has above all reminded William and me to reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life, which so many of us often take for granted. Of simply loving and being loved."
In November that year, the Prince and Princess of Wales arrived together at a royal remembrance event and paused before entering to greet the large crowd. Cameras captured Kate gently stroking her husband’s back, with William returning the gesture. For a couple who usually limit and carefully calculate physical contact, it was refreshing and showed their affection, body language expert Judi James said.
William, who had previously spoken little about his wife’s condition, later shared: “It's been dreadful. It's probably been the hardest year in my life. So, trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult. “But I'm so proud of my wife but from a personal family point of view, it's been brutal.”
As for now, Middleton has fully recovered and beaten cancer, while her father-in-law, King Charles, continues his battle with the disease. While the Duchess of Sussex has sought to follow in the footsteps of Princess Diana, it is Middleton who has truly won over Britain’s famously reserved public, with her constant smile, enduring style and, above all, her devotion as a mother.
Gossip-minded insiders have often noted how important it is to her to be present in her children’s lives, picking them up from school, cycling with them and enjoying life’s small, simple moments. But setting aside the rumors, the images speak for themselves. Kate is first and foremost a mother, much like Diana before her.
Princess Charlotte sticks out her tongue
