Prince William is next in line to the throne, and royal author Ingrid Seward has suggested that Carole Middleton, Princess Catherine's mother, could be a guiding force for the royal couple behind the scenes when they become king and queen.
Seward's comments were reported by The Royal Observer. She believes Carole's humble upbringing might motivate the royal couple to adopt a more modest approach to their future roles.
Modest approach for the monarchy
In her book, Catherine and Diana, Seward writes: "[Will they] stay small in Forest Lodge, or go the whole hog and decide to keep Sandringham, Balmoral, and all the other smaller houses light and warm and staffed through the long winter nights? The voice of Catherine, whose mother was brought up in a council flat, in William's ear might suggest that keeping things relatively modest is in tune with the times."
Seward adds that Prince William aims to tone down the grandeur of the monarchy while still following through with palace traditions.
Close family support
In William and Catherine's 2010 engagement video, William says: "Kate's got a very, very close family. I get on really well with them, and I'm very lucky that they've been so supportive."
He added: "Mike and Carole have been really loving and caring and really fun and have been really welcoming towards me."
Future royal titles
When Prince William becomes king, he has the option of choosing a new regnal name, as many monarchs do. For example, he may choose to reign under one of his middle names: Arthur, Philip, or Louis. If he keeps William, he would be known as King William V.
Princess Catherine will be known as Queen consort, holding the title of Queen Catherine. There is never a time when the throne is vacant; the moment King Charles dies, William will become king, and members of the Royal Family in the line of succession will each move forward one place.
