Prince Philip’s funeral marked the moment Kate Middleton, the now Princess of Wales, became a huge force with the royal family, one leading royal expert believes.

The funeral of Prince Philip saw Kate Middleton turn into a powerhouse within the royal family and marked the moment she had come of age.

That is the view of one leading royal biographer, who believes the nation saw a flicker of light on an otherwise dark day three years ago. The Duke of Edinburgh was laid to rest at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle following his death eight days earlier at the age of 99 back in 2021. The service was remember for the Queen’s very personal goodbye, forced to sit alone as she refused to override Covid restrictions despite her crushing heartache. Just 30 of his loved ones could attend the service, including the monarch, their four children, and eight grandchildren. All mourners had to observe social distancing meaning that the Queen had to sit in the pews by herself as she said goodbye to her husband of 74 years.

Princess Kate and the Duke had a special bond

But many will also recall the most striking photos of the then Duchess of Cambridge showing how she is a Queen in waiting. That day symbolised her growth and according to royal expert Robert Jobson, there was no turning back. He said: “The funeral of Prince Philip was seen as a turning point for Catherine; a moment when she came of age. As she took her place as one of the most senior Royal Family members, supporting the grieving, frail Queen, she stood tall, exuding poise and calm.

“The funeral of the family’s paterfamilias marked the end of an era, but it also signalled the dawn of the new one, where Catherine will play a central role, just as Philip had done at the start of the Queen’s reign,” he told Mail+ as he examined the relationship between William and Kate. One photo of her in particular shows Kate arriving at St George’s Chapel in her car wearing a black face mask and a thin lace veil pulled across her eyes. According to royal author Emily Andrews, the gorgeous snap – and her presence at the event – proved she was fit to be the future Queen.

Kate stood tall as she attended the funeral of Prince Philip in 2021 ( Image: PA)

Emily told the Channel 5’s documentary, Kate: Our Queen in Waiting: “Here was a woman at the top of her game, perfectly turned out. But also, quite rightly, taking her place as one of the most senior members of the Royal Family. I think it was one of those photographs where you really saw Queen Catherine in waiting, frankly.”

There was a fondness between Kate and the Duke. Prince Philip was “relieved” when the now Princess of Wales started dating Prince William and gave her three-word compliment, a 2022 book claimed. Writing in his book, Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, Gyles Brandreth says: “When Catherine Middleton came along as a potential bride for his grandson, Prince William, the Duke of Edinburgh was, he told me, ‘relieved to find her such a level-headed girl’.

“‘If you believe the attention is for you personally,’ he warned, ‘you’re going to end up in trouble. The attention is for your role, what you do, what you’re supporting. It isn’t for you as an individual. You are not a celebrity. You are representing the royal family. That’s all. Don’t look at the camera.”