Harry and Meghan’s shell-shocking decision to step back as senior members of the royal family has undoubtedly been one of the biggest news stories of the year so far.
So bold was this decision, one that even surprised those within the royal fold itself, that royal watchers and non-royal-watchers alike were left reeling, then scrambling to find out more details.
Indeed it would be safe to say the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s transition away from their royal roles has kept us well and truly distracted from much else happening within the blue-blooded family.
And perhaps that was for the best, because in the background, an intriguing transformation has been bubbling away for two other key family members.
While the world was following every single detail surrounding #Megxit, a transition was underway within the Palace.
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Duchess Catherine and Prince William, AKA Kate and Wills, have long been royal family stalwarts.
Ever since their fairy tale wedding in 2011 sealed the deal, we’ve grown rather fond of watching the pair undertake various royal duties together.
From colourful royal tours to days out with their three young children, there have been a plethora of opportunities to see the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge prove exactly why they’re made for their future roles of King and Queen Consort of England.
But over the years, joint appearances for the pair haven’t always come frequently.
Well, until now…
Kate and William are the faces of the next generation of royals.
(Getty)In an interesting turn of events, Harry and Meghan’s shock decision to step back has aligned very conveniently with an apparent increase in William and Kate’s joint engagements.
The proof has been before our very eyes: There was the Buckingham Palace reception in January, where Kate’s heavenly red Needle and Thread gown dazzled the world as she and Wills were pictured looking calmly at ease hosting numerous VIP guests at the regal location.
It should be recognised that the glamorous evening was held barely a week after Sussexes’ shock announcement, so lets just take a moment to appreciate just how cool, calm and collected Kate and Wills appeared to be despite the fact that things were far from smooth sailing behind the scenes.
Watch a sweet moment from the evening in the player below. Story continues..
This ‘nothing to see here’ attitude continued as we saw the Duke and Duchess step out several more times over the next few weeks.
We saw them put on a united front during a Holocaust memorial service on January 27, then had the joy of witnessing a rare red carpet appearance as they stepped out at the BAFTA awards on February 3.
Days later, the pair undertook a whirlwind one-day tour around Mumbles in Wales.
They were on peak form – laughing and chatting with locals, sharing sweet regal-worthy anecdotes about their children and even enjoying a quick (albeit polite!) ice cream. A compulsory addition to any visit to a seaside town – might we add.
Kate and Wills enjoyed a day in the seaside location of Mumbles, Wales in early February.
(Getty)Which brings us to the here and now. At the time of writing, we’ve just seen Kate and Wills step out together once again in Loughborough.
In a rather telling move, the pair were joined by Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla – the strongest display of British royalty we’ve seen since the #Megxit scandal came to light.
A quick tally has amounted Kate and Wills’ joint appearances since that fateful day on January 9 to a grant total of six.
That’s more than one a week – and a whole lot more than we’re used to seeing.
If we take a moment to ponder why there has been a sudden increase in their joint displays, we don’t have to search far and wide to come to a possible conclusion.
It seems that while the royal family might be losing two of its most loved and followed family members as they step back from their royal roles, there’s plenty more royal fanfare to keep us going for the foreseeable future – and Kate and Wills have stepped up to the plate with bells on.
Preparing for the future: The Duke and Duchess have a journey ahead of them, but they’re proving to be well up to the task.
(Getty)Unsurprisingly, there’s no sign of slowing down for the Cambridges either.
In March, the Palace has confirmed that the couple will partake in a two-day tour of Ireland.
This week, it was also reported that the pair were eyeing up a tour of Australia in the near future – a bid to drive awareness for the bush fire ravaged towns, and to elevate donations and relief efforts currently underway.
With this in mind, there’s no doubt that while Harry and Meghan will undeniably leave a void within the royal fold, William and Kate are prepared to step up (and out) in order to fulfil the world’s inexhaustible thirst for royal content.
Props to the future King and Queen Consort, we say.
