How Kate Middleton's Future in the Royal Family Will Unfold After King Charles Passes Away

The British Monarchy is currently under a lot of pressure as King Charles is battling cancer. After Queen Elizabeth II passed away on September 8, 2022, her elder son Charles took over the throne. However, amid his declining health, it is perceived that the royal family will undergo major shifts in their roles if (God Forbid) something happens to Charles, including Kate Middleton. 

Sadly, the Princess of Wales is also fighting her own cancer battle but it is likely that if Charles passes away, Prince William will immediately become a king. However, he would not be coronated until after Charles received a state funeral, similar to the late Queen Elizabeth II. In this case, Middleton would be promoted to the role of a Queen from Princess. 

About Queen Consort Camilla Parker Bowles, she'd lose her title after Charles's death and would be known as Queen Dowager, a title given to the widow of the kings. Since she's not the birth mother of William, Middleton would directly be called 'Queen Catherine'. Meanwhile, the royal couple's three children- Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis will retain theirs. 

It's still not going to be as smooth as it sounds considering Middleton's own health struggles. In January 2024, the Princess of Wales underwent major abdominal surgery. While she was recovering from that, some post-operational tests found the presence of cancer (of some kind). The media went into a frenzy leading to bizarre conspiracy theories about her absence until she officially announced her cancer news, asking for prayers and support. 

Amid all this, the royal experts have revealed they are preparing Middleton for the mammoth role ahead of her should Charles pass away from the illness. Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told OK! Magazine, "I think you have to be quite tough to survive – and thrive – in the Royal Family. She [Kate] seems to be a woman with a great deal of common sense, and I suspect that she applies that common sense to the dilemmas and difficulties that arise." 

"But Catherine has the advantage of knowing that she will one day be the most senior woman in the family, in the land. And so she has a right to make her views known about how the institution of monarchy is going to proceed in the years and decades to come," Bond added.

The 42-year-old returned to her royal duties after her brief absence while recovering from her diagnosis. Her presence made a huge difference as she's among the most respected royal family members. Richard Fitzwilliams, a royal commentator, told Business Insider, "[Kate's public appearance was] a timely and extremely beneficial show of unity for the monarchy after a very difficult few months." 

She showed up at Charles' birthday parade wearing a white and black Jenny Packham dress greeting the crowd from the Buckingham Palace balcony alongside father-in-law, husband William, Queen Consort Camilla, and her children. Fitzwilliams noted, "The late Queen used to say, 'I must be seen to be believed,' and it was most important that we saw Catherine on this occasion."

Although the fate of William and Middleton has already been sealed, former Vanity Fair editor-in-chief Tina Brown wrote an opinion piece for The New York Times, claiming, "The almost simultaneous news of Charles's cancer has put William and Catherine in frightening proximity to ascending the throne. The prospect of it, I am told, is causing them intense anxiety." 

Brown added that Middleton knows the "future of the monarchy hangs by a thread, and that thread is her."