Kate Middleton's 'Ruthlessness' Behind Closed Doors Hints How She & William Plan To Rule

When he becomes king, Prince William will be joined at the head of the royal table by wife Kate Middleton. And from the sound of things, William and Kate have already begun setting the stage for when their day of ascension comes. Not only that, but royal sources suggest that the way the current Princess of Wales tends to handle royal matters in private hint at how she and her husband will rule.

According to one source speaking to Heat World in December 2025, Princess Kate seems to subscribe to Theodore Roosevelt's philosophy of "speak softly and carry a big stick." More specifically, they explained that while Kate is undeniably caring and kind, those traits should not be mistaken for weakness. "She has this gentle, peaceful public image, but she's nobody's pushover," the source said, adding, "She's incredibly savvy and she's not afraid to make firm decisions when needed. She understands that leadership requires a certain ruthlessness, not unkindness, but clarity. She doesn't shy away from that, she sees it as her duty to stay strong for the monarchy." This, the source opined, makes Kate singularly qualified to navigate the massive cultural shift that is likely to occur when William's reign begins, which is said to include the scaling back of certain royal luxuries. "Making those changes without creating serious rifts is going to require a level of sensitivity that William does not possess," they said.

It's no secret that Prince William envisions a less stuffy, more modern monarchy when he and Kate Middleton become king and queen. In fact, it seems that the current Prince of Wales has already begun to relax some of father King Charles III's longstanding rules regarding formality in favor of a more casual environment. As Heat's source explained in December 2025, transparency is also expected to be a big theme of William's reign. "William is very focused on accountability and Kate is very much of the same mind," they said, adding, "She believes every senior royal ought to show exactly what they are doing, why it matters, and how it helps the public."

On the subject of both accountability and William's growing influence over the monarchy, some have reported that the royal family's decision to oust Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor over the now-former Duke of York's ties to Jeffrey Epstein was more William's call than Charles'. As a source told The Royalist in October 2025, "Charles has been trying and failing to get Andrew out of Royal Lodge for the past three years. William did it in two weeks. William is king in all but name now." As for Kate, rumors suggest that current Queen Consort Camilla Parker Bowles isn't really looking forward to passing her title onto Kate when the time comes. Hence, the reportedly tense relationship between them.