How the Duchess of Cambridge is preparing to become Queen

The Duchess of Cambridge will one day become Queen, and a royal expert has revealed how she is preparing for it.

• The Duchess of Cambridge married Prince William, second in line to the throne, in 2011.
• When the Duke becomes King, Duchess Catherine will become Queen of England.
• This follows royal news that the special woman who inspires Kate Middleton's parenting style has been revealed.

While it might be a while until the Duchess of Cambridge occupies the throne, it seems like she’s already preparing for the big role.

According to royal expert Rebecca Long, Kate has been gradually taking on more responsibility so that it’s not a "shock" when she steps up.

Speaking to Us Weekly she said, “Kate’s been taking on new responsibilities little by little over the last few years, so it won’t be a shock when the time comes."

“William and Kate are the favorite royals to take the crown in many generations, so the people of the UK are very excited about it.”

In the ten years since she officially joined the Royal Family, Duchess Catherine has become a patron of 18 charities—from the National Portrait Gallery to The Royal Photographic Society—and often attends royal engagements solo and with other royals.

She even took on the Hold Still photography project at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Encouraging members of the public to document their experiences throughout the pandemic, Duchess Catherine collaborated with London's National Portrait gallery on a hugely successful exhibition, which has now been turned into a photography book.  

However, in spite of all these new responsibilites, Duchess Catherine will not become the official Queen when Prince William becomes King.

Instead, she will probably be known as Queen consort, the title for the female spouse who’s married to the sovereign.

An explanation on the Royal Family website states, “Unless decided otherwise, a Queen consort is crowned with the King, in a similar but simpler ceremony."

When the Duchess of Cornwall married the Prince of Wales back in 2005, it was announced that she would receive the title of The Princess Consort, rather than Queen consort.

However, Clarence House removed this statement from its website. A spokesperson for the royal household said at the time, "Our frequently asked questions are updated regularly. This is one question that Clarence House has not been asked by the public for some time, which is why it no longer features."