Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Millennial Monarchy Is Coming (Exclusive)

Prince William is destined to sooner or later put on the crown, with spouse Kate Middleton at his facet — however what sort of king will he be?

PEOPLE William & Kate: Future King and Queen, out May 23, takes a more in-depth take a look at the royal couple’s path to the throne and the royal roles they’re making ready to form collectively.

Packed with beautiful photographs and unique reporting, this particular collector’s version traces William and Kate’s journeys from childhood to courtship to household life right this moment — providing uncommon perception into how they’re already moving into their subsequent roles.

When Prince William, 42, succeeds his father, King Charles, he’ll turn into sovereign of the United Kingdom and 14 Commonwealth realms, with Princess Kate, 43, as a steadfast and loving accomplice.

But after Buckingham Palace’s beautiful February 2024 announcement that the 76-year-old King was present process most cancers remedy, the following chapter has come into sharper focus. “They have been preparing for their future roles sooner than they would have expected,” says royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith.

As the inheritor and the inheritor’s partner, Prince William burnishes his stature as a global statesman whereas Princess Kate step by step returns to public life after stepping again in 2024 to endure most cancers remedy. (She shared in September that she had accomplished chemotherapy and introduced in January that she is now in remission.)

When the time comes for William and Kate to turn into king and queen, they’re anticipated to carry a brand new era’s power, in addition to the empathy, household focus and dedication to the crown that they exhibit now.

William and Kate replicate millennial values through the use of know-how and social media to attach with youthful generations. They overtly prioritize psychological well being, household wellness and work-life steadiness — bringing a contemporary honesty to royal life. Their deal with points like local weather change, homelessness and little one welfare exhibits a era dedicated to actual, hands-on change.

While balancing royal duties, they increase their kids with a way of normalcy and put together them for the longer term. Their sensible strategy respects custom however pushes to modernize the monarchy. Above all, William and Kate lead with a service-first mindset, utilizing their platform to make a optimistic distinction, true to the spirit of their millennial era.

It has been a turbulent few years amid a familial rift with Prince Harry, the deaths of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth, and the near-simultaneous most cancers diagnoses of the King and Kate — and an period that the Prince and Princess of Wales have weathered collectively.

Despite the trials, the Prince and Princess of Wales’ kids, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, stay the middle of their world and first precedence. 

“The Waleses have gone to nice lengths to offer their three kids with as regular a childhood as potential… But they’ve additionally lengthy been putting in a broader sense of obligation,” former PEOPLE senior author Richard Jerome writes in “William & Catherine: A Millennial Monarchy” within the new situation. 

Illustrating that steadiness, Jerome recounts a poignant second from December 2023, when Kate introduced her kids to a child financial institution close to their house in Windsor. “You’re the volunteers for this evening,” she instructed them, as they sorted garments and toys for households in want.

“At the tip of their shift, she put her arm round George and stated, ‘You can see how rewarding this sort of work is, understanding you might be serving to out others,’ ” Jerome writes — a quiet however highly effective lesson in service.

Kate has emerged as the preferred member of the royal household — and one who wields nice affect.

“She takes things seriously — and thank goodness for that,” says a supply near the royal family.

Adds Simon Lewis, former Buckingham Palace communications chief: “She’s very much seen as a player at the center of team Windsor.”

Kate has developed a toughness behind the scenes as she helps her husband. “She has this public image of being nice and smiley,” royal writer Valentine Low says. “But she is actually strong-minded, strong-willed and prepared to fight for what she wants and what she thinks is right.”

As she helps form the following era, Kate’s unwavering partnership with William and her rock-solid relationship together with her circle of relatives have given the longer term queen the instruments she must succeed.

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“The final 5 years have been a nightmare for them in each potential method — the previous yr much more so,” royal historian Amanda Foreman beforehand instructed PEOPLE about what William and Kate have been via.

“That both crushes a wedding or it brings them collectively. And simply in time, frankly — if there was ever a time when the nation required stability, that is it. The worldwide stage is so unstable, it’s fairly extraordinary to see how each have risen to the event.”

PEOPLE’s new particular version William & Kate: Future King and Queen is obtainable now.