Kate and Meghan were rumoured to be feuding but one Duchess has come out on top. Photo / Getty Images
Kate and Meghan were rumoured to be feuding but one Duchess has come out on top. Photo / Getty Images
COMMENT:
In December, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge attended the annual Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace. This is not just another drinks party or cocktail do where hundreds of people mill about trying to spy the Queen and crane to get a drink refill.
Rather, it is one of the red letter events on the royal calendar, a grand and elegant evening that calls for diamonds by the kilo and tiaras for days.
For this occasion, Kate wore a simple but supremely elegant navy suede Alexander McQueen dress rather than the pastel frou-frou frocks she has trundled out before.
If ever there was an image to encapsulate her year it is this: The Kate who attended the reception that frosty winter night was confident and poised, radiating an assuredness that is new and, speaking personally, quite thrilling.
Looking back at 2019, the royal family has been beset by public relations crisis after crisis, culminating in Prince Andrew, Duke of York's mortifying decision to step back from royal duties (this is truly one for the history books – the last able-bodied member of the family to make this drastic move was King Edward VIII in 1936.)
The royal family has undergone many public relations disasters such as Prince Andrew, Duke of York stepping down from royal duties. Photo / Getty Images
However, as the year ends and with a new decade on the horizon, it is clear that there was one member of the Windsor clan who has quietly but powerfully emerged triumphant: The Duchess of Cambridge.
Over the last 12 months, a number of Windsors have found themselves mired in controversy and rumblings of family feuds.
While there were various claims that Kate and her sister-in-law Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, were embroiled in a dispute, that was soon replaced by reports that her husband Prince William and brother-in-law Prince Harry were the ones actually to be at loggerheads.
(In October Harry seemingly confirmed this during a TV interview during which he said that he and his brother have "good days" and "bad days" and that "inevitably stuff happens").
Likewise, the deep rift between Prince Charles and Prince Andrew over the future king's vision for a "slimmed down" royal family came to light towards the end of the year.
It is interesting to note at year's end that while other HRHs have appeared as self-involved, myopic, or just plain petulant, Kate has emerged largely unscathed.
By contrast, the 37-year-old has appeared focused and hardworking, a woman getting on with the business of being royal rather than engaging in any tit-for-tat public pettiness. Essentially, she has just gotten on with the job.
This was a year that Kate took on more high profile roles and gave us a clearer sense of who the woman behind all those Reiss floral dresses really is.
In May she debuted her acclaimed child-friendly Back to Nature garden. In October, she undertook a flawless tour of politically-charged Pakistan. In December, she and William appeared in millions of homes around the UK when they corralled TV living legend Mary Berry to take part in a charity Christmas special with them.
During all of this, plus more than 100 other engagements, she has not put a Stuart Weitzman tan pump out of place.
This year has seen a certain amount of chaos and tumult seep into the Palace. In contrast, Kate has stayed the course seemingly not letting various family crises faze her.
While other HRHs have spent the last 12 months quarrelling, Kate has stayed above the bickering fray and instead proven to be adroit and savvy, simply getting stuck in and showcasing her expanding portfolio of projects.
The Duchess of Cambridge appears to be focused and hardworking - an unexpected winner from royal rifts. Photo / Getty Images
In March, Kate undertook her first ever solo event with the Queen, visiting King's College in London. In December, it was announced that Her Majesty was passing the patronage of Family Action to the Duchess – a role that has only ever gone to a Queen before. Both of these are clear signs that the Queen thoroughly approves and is happy to let her assume more responsibility and to step into the spotlight.
While Kate only speaks in public on the rarest of occasions and essentially never gives interviews, there is one way she regularly and intriguingly communicates – her clothes.
This year, Kate's look has profoundly evolved, becoming far more sophisticated and fashion forward. While some people are intent on reading this a reaction to the arrival of the effortlessly chic Meghan on the scene, I tend to think this is far more a reflection of her growing self-confidence.
The fact Kate has escaped 2019 largely blemish-free is a reflection of her growing deftness and astuteness and how well she has learned to play the royal game. When it comes to the winners and losers of 2019, let us all take a moment to hail the Duchess of Cambridge. There's a good chance, we ain't seen nothing yet.
