Things Could Look Different For Kate When William Becomes King
How would Kate Middleton manage her royal duties if she's in the middle of her own health crisis? Should the unthinkable happen to King Charles, she's going to be faced with a lot of changes.
Transcript
00:00 How would Kate Middleton manage her royal duties if she's in the middle of her own health
00:04 crisis?
00:05 Should the unthinkable happen to King Charles, she's going to be faced with a lot of changes.
00:09 In light of news that King Charles III's funeral plans are getting an update, it's hard not
00:13 to think about what will happen to the throne when the monarch dies, as the heir to the
00:17 throne, William, Prince of Wales, is in line to become the new king.
00:21 But what about Catherine, Princess of Wales?
00:23 What exactly will Charles' death mean for her?
00:25 And how might her absence from the public eye affect this?
00:28 Well, no matter when it happens, Kate Middleton's role in the change is likely already set in
00:33 stone.
00:34 When King Charles III dies, a plan called Operation Mani Bridge will be carried out.
00:38 Since the monarchy can never be without a monarch, one of the most important parts of
00:42 the plan after Charles' death is Prince William's immediate ascension to the throne.
00:46 "So everyone in Great Britain is basically always, perpetually planning for funerals."
00:51 Most likely, the formal coronation will not take place immediately, but Charles will pass
00:55 the proverbial baton to William the moment he dies.
00:58 As William takes on the role of king, Kate will also immediately take on her new role.
01:02 Kate will become queen consort, but her formal title is still up for debate.
01:06 A transition from Catherine, Princess of Wales to Queen Catherine is the most likely change
01:10 in title that will happen.
01:11 The royal family's official website gets specific about what, exactly, the queen consort is.
01:16 Primarily, the queen consort is a supportive companion to the monarch and doesn't have
01:20 an official role in the British government.
01:22 The monarchy's complex rules don't require anything specific of Kate other than to support
01:26 William in his new role, yet evidently, her presence at William's side throughout the
01:30 transition will be important.
01:32 And as Kate is in recovery and staying out of the limelight after her cancer diagnosis,
01:37 this may present difficulties should Operation Manai Bridge roll out anytime soon.
01:41 The title of Prince George, Kate and Prince William's oldest child, will change as well.
01:45 William will pass on his current title, Prince of Wales, to his son.
01:48 George will then be next in line for the throne.
01:50 Whenever William dies and George takes over as king, if Kate is still alive, she will
01:55 become known as Queen Mother.
01:56 Part of the monarchy's job is to provide a sense of stability to the people over which
02:00 it reigns, and as such, the members of the royal family have to remain stable, at least
02:05 as far as the public is concerned, even in the face of struggle and change.
02:08 This has been particularly challenging for the royals as of late, as health issues and
02:12 interpersonal drama have taken precedence over the public's approval.
02:16 In April 2024, the Daily Beast reported that a friend of the royal family described Charles'
02:20 current health situation as "not good," saying,
02:23 "Everyone is staying optimistic, but he is really very unwell, more than they are letting
02:27 on."
02:28 As the world saw with Queen Elizabeth II's passing, the response to the death of a monarch
02:32 is very calculated and well-planned.
02:34 According to a source, the queen's funeral went like clockwork and set a high bar.
02:38 It's not an emotional thing, it's a job, one taken very seriously.
02:42 When it comes to carrying out this job, no one is quite as important as the future king
02:46 and queen.
02:47 Meanwhile, rumors about Kate's health crisis have drawn suspicion and sparked a mistrust
02:51 in the monarchy.
02:52 A major change like Charles' death and the subsequent domino effect throughout the royal
02:56 family certainly would not be coming at a good time if it were to happen over the course
03:00 of the next few months.
03:01 Yet, Kate's transition to queen consort is important enough that she may need to resume
03:05 her royal duties sooner than planned.
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