It’s almost 10 years since they walked down the aisle at Westminster Abbey, and the Queen is reportedly planning a new honour for Kate Middleton to mark a decade of marriage to the future King.
On the couple’s eighth anniversary in 2019, the Queen bestowed her highest seal of approval, making the Duchess of Cambridge, 39, a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.
Awards under the Royal Victorian Order are made personally by the Queen for services to the sovereign, and the Queen is said to be considering another prestigious honour for April, in recognition of Kate’s work as a member of the monarchy
Royal expert Duncan Larcombe told OK! magazine: ‘It’s highly likely she’ll be planning a special secret something to honour Kate’s 10 years in the royal family – something she can do to mark it.
‘Kate and the Queen have a fantastic relationship.
Kate strikes that balance between bowing to her as head of the royal family in public but being able to check in with her as the great-grandmother to her children.’
He added that, despite the ongoing pandemic, the Queen and Kate have remained close with the Duchess having a direct line to speak to Her Majesty.
Kate checks in on her and gives her updates on her and Prince William’s children – George, seven, Charlotte, five, and Louis, two.
Duncan also said that it is believed Kate taught the Queen how to use video calls, so that she could see her great-grandchildren while they were unable to visit each other.
Through her royal work, the Duchess of Cambridge has supported her own causes such as early years development of children.
She has also travelled to the Commonwealth on behalf of the monarch and helped to raise awareness about mental health alongside her husband and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.
Kate recently thanked NHS staff for ‘going the extra mile’ after hearing how a nurse played Bon Jovi as he held the hand of a dying patient.
She spoke to nurses from the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust via video link to hear about their work and thank them for their efforts during the pandemic.
During the call, Kate heard the touching story of a senior nurse who held the hand of a dying patient and played his favourite band Bon Jovi after his wife could not make it to his bedside.
Kate praised Vasu Lingappa for going the ‘extra mile’ and shared a lighter moment with the NHS worker who joked the patient’s wife had wanted him to sing the rock group’s hits – but he declined because of his strong Asian accent.
She made the call from the Queen’s Sandringham estate on Tuesday, after the monarch loaned her and Prince William the residence to use as their working base during lockdown.