For her 40th birthday, Kate has already posed for portraits reminiscent of Queens Victoria or Elizabeth. But, despite the general enthusiasm, she will have to wait to ascend the throne. The order of succession remains a safe bet in Great Britain, even if it does not correspond to the ranking of the heart.
Officially, the Cambridges are on vacation. They have chosen not to leave the United Kingdom and are resting near Anmer Hall, their Norfolk mansion, before joining, in August, the Scottish lands of Her Majesty the Queen, at Balmoral. But, in fact, their agenda is far from empty. Between dips in the pool, Prince William and his wife, Kate, work. More than ever in the field, even in the heart of summer.
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On July 31, the Duchess of Cambridge did not hesitate to wet the jersey by participating in a sailing race organized in Plymouth. An accomplished sportswoman, she was not content to encourage the British team, but put on a cap, trainers and overalls to hold the helm for a few minutes. At the same time, William attended, at Wembley Stadium, the final of the Women’s Football Euro, in which the English emerged victorious against the Germans.
“Now that’s enough! : Kate tries to stop the antics of Louis, 4, during a parade for the Queen’s Jubilee, June 5.
© Julien Burton / Bestimage
A few hours before the kick-off of the Lionesses match, the Duke of Cambridge had posted a message of encouragement on his social networks. A video in which also appears his daughter, Charlotte, follower of the round ball, Well combed hair and graceful smile: 7 years old and already perfect in her role. Last June, for the celebrations of the jubilee of Elizabeth II, she proved that she mastered the implacable rules of protocol. In a pram with her two brothers, during the Trooping the Color parade, she showed them the example by greeting the crowd with a straight and firm wave of the hand that her great-grandmother would not have denied. . And, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, she discreetly corrected her eldest, who put his hand on the edge: “Arms down, George! (“Arms down, George!”) she whispered, nudging him.
Kate’s creed: never a false step, never a false fold!
However, Prince George is not far from being, too, a model highness. On the initiative of his parents, he is more and more present on the public scene, like last July 10, in the stands of Wimbledon, to applaud the final between Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios. Midnight blue suit, impeccable Windsor knot tie, the young prince, future heir to the throne, aged 9, overcame his shyness to talk to people and smile at photographers.
For George, it’s a first: at 9, he can finally attend the Wimbledon final. In the royal box, of course! July 10.
© Action Press/Shutterstock/SIPA
Prince Louis, 4, completes this ideal family portrait. At each of his appearances, he is acclaimed by the crowds as a true pop star. During the Jubilee weekend, he amused the gallery by making priceless faces on the balcony of the palace. To the point of dethroning, in one of the tabloids, his royal granny.
Elizabeth II is not mistaken: she knows that William, Kate and their three children embody the best showcase of the monarchical institution. So she pushes them to the front of the stage, gives them many responsibilities and sends them to travel the globe to represent her. They alone are capable of making people forget the controversies and other pranks that too often splash the Firm. While Prince Andrew remains mired in sex scandals, Prince Charles may be suspected of influence peddling and Prince Harry hangs out with Hollywood glitz, the Cambridges are beyond reproach. They never seem to tire of smiling at the whole world, as if their only mission was to offer joy and comfort.
The prince and Charlotte, 7, wish the Lionesses good luck for the final of the Women’s Football Euro. A video posted on the official Cambridge Instagram account on July 31.
© DR
Elizabeth II forged William in her image: phlegmatic but not haughty, modest but not distant, tongue-in-cheek but not silly, conservative but in step with the times. She gave him a thousand pieces of advice, especially during the weekly one-to-one lunches which they had made a ritual when Lady Di’s eldest was a teenager. And while Kate didn’t have the same aristocratic upbringing, she seems to be the innate heiress of Elizabeth II. Like the sovereign, the duchess only responds to one creed: never a false step, never a false fold.
Across the Channel, some go so far as to suspect the Queen of not wanting to cede the crown too quickly to her eldest son, whom she has never really appreciated, hoping that it will quickly pass to her grandson. And, as Prince Charles faces embarrassing new revelations about the stewardship of his charity, a whimsical idea resurfaces: what if he chooses to leave his seat to William? Nonsense, sure. But this fantasy, which Diana had touched lip service during an interview in 1995, could also, secretly, be that of Elizabeth II.