WILLIAM & KATE'S Slow and Steady RISE To POWER

Amid King Charles’ ongoing health battle, Prince William and Princess Kate have started stepping up — and taking center stage

- By JAIME HARKIN

On Dec. 3, King Charles III and his wife, Queen Camilla, hosted a lavish State Banquet for Germany's president at Buckingham Palace, but it was Prince William and Princess Kate who commanded the most attention. Kate, dazzling in the Strathmore Rose Tiara, the largest and most dramatic headpiece she’s ever worn, sat on one side of President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, marking the third time she’s been seated next to a visiting Head of State at a banquet since July. William was across from them beside the president's wife, signaling the couple's elevated status within The Firm.

Their prominence at the glittering affair — and the palace’s careful staging of it — was intentional. With Charles still receiving treatment for an undisclosed type of cancer, “The message they are sending out is that the monarchy is healthy,” says a source, “regardless of what happens with [the king].”

Just weeks earlier, the couple signaled their long-term strategy in another way: by shining a brighter spotlight on the next generation. With William returning from the Earthshot Prize in Brazil, 12-year-old Prince George accompanied Kate to the Festival of Remembrance. Dressed in a black suit adorned with a poppy pin, the young heir sat between his mother and grandfather at Royal Albert Hall, taking in the ceremony with poise and maturity. “Kate and William are allowing George to take on more responsibilities,” says the source, adding that they are making it clear “the next generation is already in view.”

TALK OF TENSION