Kate Middleton Isn't The Monarchy's 'Massive Asset,' According To Expert — An Unlikely Royal Is
Kate Middleton might be one of the most popular royals, but she is not the only valuable asset the monarchy had.
Kate Middleton has been one of the royal family’s strongest pillars in the past decade and a half. She has carried the royal family through the most turbulent times with grace and confidence. However, the Princess of Wales might not be the only powerful addition the monarchy has had in the past several years. According to royal expert Simon Vigar, Middleton’s sister-in-law, Meghan Markle, was also a 'massive asset' to the royal family.
When the Duchess of Sussex married into royalty in 2018, she was already an established actress with a thriving career in the US. Her passion for humanitarian work coupled with her speaking skills seemingly made her a perfect fit for the monarchy. However, the match was not meant to be. “(Meghan) was obviously a massive asset," Vigar said via Marie Claire, "She was brilliant with the crowd, with the people. She would have been a major player in the royal family, and it is a crying shame that she's not.” Two years after their dreamy wedding, Markle and Prince Harry stepped away from their roles as senior working royals and shifted to the US.
As one of the most popular royals, Middleton has garnered her fair share of criticism over the years. However, Vigar pointed out that the critique about the princess might not be accurate. “Catherine is no wallflower. She has her own ideas. Behind the scenes, she asks really good questions. The Royal Family doesn’t think of themselves as a brand, but they are, and a source told me she got that straight away,” he mentioned.
Although Markle and Middleton haven’t seen eye-to-eye in several years, the one thing both women may share common ground on is the regard they have for their late mother-in-law, Princess Diana. The two ladies have often given sartorial tributes to the People’s Princess or spoken fondly about her. The love Diana continues to receive is not limited to her next of kin; she remains an enduring figure in the minds of royal fans.
According to Vigar, “subjectively,” the late Princess of Wales “brought star power” to the royal family and “outshone them in the end”. However, the members of the monarchy “didn't really know what they had”. Calling her the “biggest changemaker”, Vigar added that Diana did things like “simply going to Tower Records on Kensington High Street” that one “couldn't imagine the previous generation doing”. The princess made the royal family “more relatable and more touchy-feely”.
The monarchy has had many royal brides over the years. And each of them brought unique strengths to the royal fold. And while the family may have had a falling out with Markle and Harry, their return to the UK and reunion with King Charles earlier this month may indicate more positive times ahead.
