From Queen Elizabeth’s death to Kate Middleton’s shocking cancer diagnosis, Prince William and Princess Kate have faced some of the greatest challenges of their lives over the past few years. But it’s the couple’s resilience and dedication in the face of adversity that is helping shape their vision for a modern monarchy.
“What many people don’t realize, even for those of us who follow the royals closely, is what an integral part of the institution Catherine is,” royal journalist Russell Myers recently told Vanity Fair.
For his new book, William & Catherine: The Monarchy’s New Era: The Inside Story, Myers spoke to dozens in William and Catherine’s close circle, to explore how the couple juggles their private lives with their very public roles.
“I found it fascinating just how much William relies on [Catherine]. Both professionally, personally and emotionally. Many friends told me how they had witnessed Catherine arguably being the stronger of the two when she was dealt her cancer diagnosis. William felt it incredibly disorientating, his father had been diagnosed with cancer just a few days before, he felt as though he had been hit by a bus. His mind was filled with doubt about his father’s condition, then, his wife’s, and of course, how they would break the news to their three young children. While it was of course incredibly upsetting and shocking for Catherine, she was able to take a step back and assess the situation clearly, releasing that they would both need to step back for a time from royal duties and be together as a family. That partnership is integral to who they are as people,” Myers said.
In a conversation with Vanity Fair, Myers discusses how William and Catherine will approach their eventual roles as king and queen, and Catherine’s position as the quiet power behind the throne.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Vanity Fair: Prince William and Princess Kate are an incredibly private couple. How did you manage to penetrate their inner circle?
Russell Myers: Over the last few years, we have heard a lot about the relationships between members of the royal family, mainly from those who have left the institution and feel they are able to speak more freely. Not only had it been over a decade since a joint biography of the Prince and Princess of Wales was published, but throughout my research, I found that many people in William and Catherine’s inner circle felt that now was the right time to speak. We have witnessed an incredibly tumultuous time for the monarchy over the past decade, there has been infighting, scandal, heartbreak—with the passing of the late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh—and there’ve been serious health issues for the king and princess as well. But there have been some incredible moments that William and Catherine have experienced as well, which is shaping their joint vision of a modern monarchy and that’s the journey I wanted to take readers on.