From this moment on, Catherine Middleton is a member of The Firm, whether she and Prince William wish it or not. Even though the royal couple has stated their desire to live relatively normal lives, free from many duties during the early years of marriage, security, duty and responsibility will mean that respite will be short-lived at best.
In pictures: Prince William and Catherine Middleton’s fairytale wedding
William, a search and rescue pilot for the RAF, based in Wales, will spend the next few years completing his military service, so the couple will begin married life in rural Wales.
They have asked the media to respect their privacy and stated that Catherine, when it is time to step into the royal job, will not take on engagements by herself, but only in the company of her husband.
Yet that is not to say her path will be easy. Far from it. In fact, while her husband is on active service, Catherine will spend much of that time on her own.
“I can see Catherine doing more thumb-twiddling and eating more home delivery pizzas than any royal in history,” says royal historian Robert Lacey. “I am sure there will be times ahead when she is bored and miserable. But at the same time, she will have the most loving and supportive husband the royal family has produced in generations.
“Her challenge will be to create a distinct role for herself and at the same time to establish the marriage. If she gets it right, as I’m sure she can, she will become every bit as much of a people’s princess as Diana.”
And now the pressure to produce “an heir and a spare” will be enormous. Given time, every outing, every dress will be scrutinised for signs of an expanding stomach, any hint of illness interpreted as an indication of pregnancy. Yet many royal commentators believe the couple will wait until at least the end of Prince William’s term in the air force before they even consider children.
Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, says Catherine can manage the transition, as long as she doesn’t allow her image to threaten her husband’s.
“If she continues as she is, Kate will survive well,” says Ingrid. “Regal demands, the monotony of engagements and the protocols will suit her well-ordered, controlled nature.
“By putting the natural, more impulsive William first, she can make her own niche gently and gradually. There will be no escape from the paparazzi’s lenses and no more carefree bikini holidays. From now on, Kate will have to think about how everything she does and wears will be reflected in the media.”
During the lead-up to the wedding, Catherine got a taste of what it is like to be part of the royal family with the media attention, the round-the-clock bodyguard team, the need for security checks and the pressure that comes from trying to be perfect, even when you’re not.
So how will they maintain the “normal life”? “I think they will develop things gradually. Being stuck in the back end of Wales will actually help,” says Richard Kay. “They’re not going to have a butler, a cook or a valet. It’s a truly radical departure.”
Following their engagement, the couple had some freedom. They lived at Prince William’s rented cottage, spending time at local pubs and riding William’s red Ducati sports motorcycle. According to staff at The White Eagle pub, on the northern tip of Anglesey, the prince prefers burgers and chips, while Catherine likes fish and salad.
They may be able to preserve some of that quiet life in Wales, but the partying in London’s exclusive nightclubs that they became famous for early in their relationship may become a thing of the past, though they will most likely have use of an apartment at St James’s Palace in the city.
When William completes his stint with the RAF, he and Catherine are expected to move into a six-bedroom house Prince Charles had built at Harewood Park in Herefordshire. The 365-hectare estate is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall, which provides Prince Charles with his annual income.
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Like any bride, Catherine wanted to look her best on her wedding day and maintained a regular exercise regimen at an exclusive London gym, the Harbour Club.
The palace quickly moved to quash gossip she was too thin, saying, “She’s not been trying to lose weight. She’s a healthy girl who loves her food and doesn’t count the calories. Because she’s always been rather sporty, her metabolism is naturally quite high.”
Read more of this story in the May issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly.
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