How Kate Middleton is shaping the future of British monarchy

Kate Middleton has transformed from a commoner to widely admired Princess of Wales and royal experts believe that for her the greatest challenge has been navigating private struggles under continues public scrutiny.

Royal expert Katie Nicholl tells OK! the wife of Prince William has had to go through some "incredibly hard, private moments very publicly," and she navigated those with "grace and courage." She noted that Kate is a "role model to many people and she takes her duty incredibly seriously."

With King Charles' cancer treatment, Kate and William have been in the spotlight. "William has said that being King isn’t the first thing he thinks about when he wakes up, but it is certainly something they’ll be planning for. They will be thinking about their future," Katie shared.

Reflecting on the Princess of Wales' incredible transformation from a commoner to royal role model, the royal expert also adds, "Kate has been two decades in the public eye, and she looks so much more at ease now."

"As the young Kate Middleton she didn’t have a press officer on speed dial or a security entourage, and when you look at her metamorphosis from commoner to royal it has been extraordinary. She’s been flawless for decades, she has not put a foot wrong," Katie said.

Furthermore, the author of Alice: The Story of Princess Alice of Greece also agreed, saying, "If Catherine continues the way she’s going, she’ll be the perfect Queen Consort. She’s a star and really key to the monarchy."

Notably, royal experts believe the greatest challenge for Kate Middleton and Prince William is to navigate their roles as parents and also making sure they set the tone for future of the monarchy.

"That’s going to be very much part of the bigger picture when they are king and queen. They’ll be thinking ahead for future generations, so [the monarchy] doesn’t end with King William V, but continues with King George," Katie said.

She also recalled, "I asked someone who knows Kate and William very well whether she is ready for the next step up to Queen, and the response was a categoric ‘yes.’"