Kate Steps Into the Future

THE PRINCESS OF WALES ENTERS A DEFINING MOMENT—SHAPING HER AND WILLIAM’S LIFE AS THEY SETTLE INTO A NEW HOME AND A MORE PROMINENT ROYAL ROLE

- SIMON PERRY

At one end of the majestic St. George’s Hall in Windsor Castle stood a 20-ft. Nordmann’s fir Christmas tree glittering with thousands of lights—but it was Princess Kate who shone the brightest as she swept into the Dec. 3 state banquet on the arm of Prince William. In a carpet-skimming Jenny Packham gown and a regal headpiece, the Princess of Wales delivered a dazzling entrance that felt like more than a festive flourish. For the first time, Kate, 43, wore Queen Victoria’s 172-year-old Oriental Circlet tiara—the largest and grandest she has ever debuted. At first glance it looked almost like a crown, its arches sparkling with diamonds and rubies. Once worn by Victoria herself and later by Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother, the circlet has long been believed to be reserved for Queens and future Queens under the terms of Victoria’s will. Its appearance on Kate marked a shift—not simply a fashion moment but a signal. “It’s magnificent, historic and significant,” says Sally Bedell Smith, the royal biographer behind the Royals Extra Substack. As Kate reaches the end of a year marked by recovery and a gradual reclaiming of her role and confidence, the symbolism was unmistakable. “She looks like our idea of a future Queen,” says royal biographer Catherine Mayer.

Indeed, Kate’s future-facing posture at Windsor felt like an inflection point. And the setting was fitting: That December evening marked the couple’s third state banquet of the year, occasions that have placed them front and center as they’ve helped woo and influence visiting world leaders. “They are becoming the face of state visits. They are taking on a leadership role,” says royal historian Amanda Foreman. Mayer adds, “William and Kate are showcased as being not just the future of the monarchy but its absolute heart.”