Our future king and queen face the huge task of ensuring the monarchy's survival while making sure it thrives and is relevant in the modern world

The Royal Family is one of the most scrutinised and talked about institutions in the world, and yet throughout history, it is not often that we learn who they really are.

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As figureheads of an establishment which has in recent years undergone massive change - through internal friction, damaging scandal and personal heartache - it is worth considering the effect on those at the very centre of such seismic events and how their experiences shape their public roles.

William and Catherine, the Prince and Princess of Wales, who consistently rank as the two most popular members of the monarchy, stand on the precipice of a new era.

In producing this biography, through months of extensive research and almost 100 interviews with those closest to them throughout the key moments in their lives, I have sought to provide the definitive account of who they are and the things shaping their vision of the monarchy in the modern age.

But what does all this mean, and what do they stand for? The privilege afforded to the prince and princess, in a time when many are struggling with the pressures of daily life, cannot be ignored.

Yet, despite their obvious advantages, they are, of course, people too.