The new Princess of Wales was spotted for the first time since her grandmother-in-law Queen Elizabeth II died.
Kate Middleton, who is also now the Duchess of Cornwall (a title passed down from the new Queen Consort Camilla), was seen driving around during her time of mourning. Much like the rest of the royal family, the new princess was wearing all-black with large circle sunglasses—probably in an attempt to give her a bit of privacy from the British press during the family’s difficult time.
The duchess, who did not see the former queen before her death in Scotland, instead stayed home with the children she has with Prince William. If you’re following the line of succession as we enter the post-Elizabethan era, that makes Middleton’s husband next in line for the throne, followed by her eldest son, Prince George. Prince George, along with Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, attended their first day of school the day before their great-granny died—hence Middleton’s staying back in London.
Now that her father-in-law, King Charles III, has assumed the throne, Middleton and her husband have taken over the Duchy of Cornwall and have become the Prince and Princess of Wales. They even made it IG official, with the couple changing their Instagram handle just hours after the king’s first address to the nation. Middleton is the first Princess of Wales since the late Princess Diana Spencer—marking a monumental shift in the way the royal family operates.
Sources close to the royals said Kate Middleton wants to “forge her own path,” in the great shadow of Princess Diana, and honestly, who can blame her? They’re pretty big shoes to fill.
Other notable events besides Charles’s speech: The new king and queen consort are back in London and meeting with mourners outside Buckingham Palace. The pair looked over some of the many flowers, cards, and mementos left by the British public outside the palace in her memory—including a few plastic corgis. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are also staying in town for the foreseeable future in order to be by their family’s side.
