Kate Middleton Just Took Over One Of Prince Harry's Most Famous Roles
Kate Middleton has been taking on more royal duties as of late — and her plate just got bigger. The Duchess of Cambridge, who just turned 40 in January, has been excelling in her leadership role, as she and husband Prince William are currently eyeballed as the future of the monarchy.
In December 2021, she hosted her first Christmas carol event that would go on to be televised around the U.K. The event served to honor first responders amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and to say it was a success would be an understatement. Royal expert Dickie Arbiter told Daily Mail, "The Carol service was Kate's idea" and that the Cambridges are "acting like a bridge" for younger generations. It was also there where Kate performed a breathtaking piano performance alongside Tom Walker.
It isn't all sunshines and rainbows for Kate, however. With the aftershock of Sussexit still looming and Prince Andrew's upcoming civil case with Virginia Giuffre, the royal family has fallen under scrutiny for quite some time. As a result, "Kate will step up," as the 95-year-old Queen Elizabeth "hugely values her support, and will rely on her more than ever," royal expert Katie Nicholl told Closer. And now, Kate Middleton's role just expanded even further
Kate Middleton is set to become patron for the Rugby Football Union
Prince Harry relinquished all royal responsibilities alongside Duchess Meghan amidst 2020's controversial Sussexit debacle. With his roles now vacated, Kate Middleton has swooped in and succeeded Prince Harry in one of his most prized roles — patron for the Rugby Football Union (RFU).
A source told Daily Mail that the Duchess of Cambridge is set to be revealed as the new patron "imminently." Interestingly enough, such a revelation would put her in direct competition with husband Prince William, who has served as the patron for Welsh Rugby Union since 2016, as the outlet noted. This is also the first patronage of Prince Harry's to be redistributed since his acrimonious departure from royal duties.
Prince Harry's ties to sport are well-documented. The Duke of Sussex founded the Invictus Games, a sporting event designed for the empowerment of wounded and disabled veterans, in 2014. Furthermore, the official royal website notes that Harry "spent part of his 2004 gap year training as an Assistant Development Officer with the Rugby Football Union (RFU)." After becoming qualified, "he went out to schools and clubs around the country assisting community rugby coaches to teach the game to young people of all ages and from all communities." And who could forget Prince Harry's iconic mid-interview sprint?