Royal life
The Prince and Princess of Wales are proving to be a royal match made in heaven – like the late Queen and Prince Philip
Few royal couples have stood the test of time like Queen Elizabeth II and her loyal husband, Prince Philip.
Their 73-year union was one for the history books until their sad deaths some 17 months apart in 2021 and 2022.
But their timeless love story has inspired a future royal generation – and now Catherine and her husband William have taken up the baton and appear to have the same unshakeably strong partnership.
King Charles’ former butler Grant Harrold, who also worked with Kate, 42, and William, 41, during his time at Buckingham Palace and other royal residences, tells woman&home,
‘The thing about William and Kate is that they very much remind me of the late Queen and Prince Philip.
‘They were a team and a partnership, and William and Kate are very much like that too. It’s almost like history nicely repeating itself, because the two of them are a good team and they are also best friends.’
Duty first
Kate was forced to take an extended break from royal duties following ‘planned abdominal surgery’ at the start of the year. But she has always prioritised her role as future Queen, rarely putting a foot wrong and often being described as the monarchy’s ‘greatest asset’.
While the Queen and William were born into the British Royal Family, Philip and Kate both married into it – but they mutually understood the importance of how the role must always come first.
Philip, who is the longest-serving royal consort in British history to date, supported the Queen throughout her reign, in which she dedicated her life to being the head of the working royals.
Now Kate is following suit. She famously met William while studying at the University of St Andrews. They went on to tie the knot in 2011 and then welcome their three children – Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five. During that time, Kate looked to the Queen and Philip as mentors, and found many hours for public engagements for causes and charities close to her and her husband’s heart.
And Grant, who is now an etiquette expert, has revealed that behind closed doors, Kate ‘one hundred per cent’ reminds him of the late monarch with her unwavering dedication to duty.
He explains, ‘The thing about Kate is that she has very much learnt the role. She maybe one day wanted to meet her prince and marry her prince and that’s what she did – and she has done an amazing job of it [ever since].’
Shared humour
Despite the strict rules of royal family life, the Queen and Prince Ph
