The COVID-19 pandemic has displaced everyone's plans, schedules and activities including Queen Elizabeth and the royal family. The monarch, however, had Kate Middleton as her "rock" during this crisis, along with Prince William.
A source told Us Weekly that Queen Elizabeth was able to adapt to the uncertainty brought on by the pandemic easier knowing that Kate and Prince William were there. Apparently, she could rely on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to "pick up the slack" and attend to matters for the Firm when Queen Elizabeth had to remain in isolation.
The source implied that Queen Elizabeth, also, saw Kate as the backbone of the royal family. The Duke of Cambridge, reportedly, found great comfort that he has his dependable wife by his side. Much of Kate's mentality is similar to Queen Elizabeth in that they both "keep calm and carry on" as the world comes to grips with the public health crisis.
During the lockdown, Kate, apparently, also, asked for Queen Elizabeth's advice on speeches and conversations she's scheduled to do. She even talked with the monarch about the dos and don'ts and the people she could fully depend on among the royal courtiers.
Queen Elizabeth, apparently, loves the idea that she is the Duchess of Cambridge's go-to adviser about their royal duties. But, Kate and Prince William won't be sitting on the throne immediately after Queen Elizabeth's reign since Prince Charles is the heir. However, Her Majesty seems secure in the thought that the future of the monarchy could be entrusted to the Cambridges, when it's their time to rule England.
Meanwhile, Kate, recently, had a challenging time selecting the best lockdown photos for her Hold Still project, which she kicked off in May. The Duchess of Cambridge said she was overwhelmed by her task as there were over 30,000 submissions.
She needed to pick just 100 for the online exhibit in collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery. The digital exhibition will be unveiled on Sept. 14 but Kate went ahead and posted some of her picks on the Kensington Royal Instagram account.
Kate said that the quality of the image submissions was extraordinary, poignant and moving. She confessed that she had a rollercoaster of emotions as she went through each photo of families, friends and co-workers during the lockdown. The Duchess of Cambridge, however, had help from a panel of judges composed of writer and poet Lemn Sissay, the NHS' chief nursing officer Ruth May, the director of the National Portrait Gallery Nicholas Cullinan, and photographer Maryam Wahid.
