Inside Kate Middleton's Big Year Ahead as She Prepares to Be Queen

For starters, she and William will each be taking on the role of Guarantor of Royal Warrants this spring, meaning they'll be able to give the royal seal of approval to their "preferred" products and services, in turn giving those companies an affiliation to bear with pride.

Meanwhile, home for Kate, William, George, Charlotte and Louis is now eight-bedroom Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park, where they relocated last year from Adelaide Cottage.

The family settled down in Windsor in 2022 so the kids could all attend nearby Lambrook School together. George will move on in the fall, exact location TBD, though royal experts have noted that William and brother Prince Harry's alma mater Eton College—a boarding school for 13-to-18-year-old boys in Berkshire—is a short drive away.

So, with George in his last term at Lambrook, Kate is relishing her usual drop-off and pick-up routine even more.

"They're getting big now," Kate said when a well-wisher asked about her brood in September during a visit to the Natural History Museum. And during the family's annual walk to church on Christmas, in response to a fan's prediction that George could end up towering over her and William, she replied, "I know, I swear, he’s catching up with everybody, isn’t he?"

But, for now, George is still Kate and William's firstborn, a kid who doesn't have a cell phone yet and gets driven to school every day. And his mother is going to enjoy every minute of it while she can.

When fellow museumgoers told Kate they were in the crowd outside the hospital when the new mom left with George in 2013, the princess noted, "It only feels like yesterday.”

Speaking of which, see how Kate's style has evolved through the years: Kate Middleton's color palette was muted but she radiated joy all the same during the royal family's walk to church on Christmas morning in 2025, her return to the annual tradition after celebrating the holiday privately with Prince William and their kids the previous year.

For a Diplomatic Corps reception at Buckingham Palace in December 2022, the Princess of Wales styled her sparkly Jenny Packham gown with several regal accessories, including Queen Elizabeth II's Royal Family Order badge, the sash and star of the Royal Victorian Order, diamond frame earrings, a diamond Art Deco brooch and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother's famed Lotus Flower Tiara.

Shortly after succeeding the Princess of Wales title, Kate wore this stunning Jenny Packham gown with Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara to a state dinner in 2022.

There's nothing more refreshing than seeing a royal who isn't afraid to wear an item on numerous occasions. The royal last wore this Barbara Casasola number at the 2016 for the Art Fund awards.

Kate took the army's salute in 2019 while sporting a lovely Catherine Walker coat dress, which she paired with matching clutch and shoes.

Kate showed the Americans how it is done in a white gown by Alexander McQueen, the same designer who created her iconic wedding dress, during a state banquet with Steven Mnuchin in 2019.

When in the presence of the Queen, it is pretty important to wear your Sunday finest. In 2019, the Princess of Wales sported a pink coat dress by Alexander McQueen and a fascinator by Juliette Botterill.

For the 2019 Chelsea Flower Show, the Duchess of Cambridge wore a whimsical dress from British label Erdem.

Kate wore a matching blazer and skirt combo to The Royal Foundation's Mental Health in Education conference in 2019.

The royal stunned in a white McQueen gown for the 2019 BAFTA Awards.

Kate turned heads in this Eponine London dress for Children's Mental Health Week 2019.

In 2019, 5he royal looked fabulous in a tweed jacket and boots at Islington Community Garden.

Kate looked gorgeous in a Q by McQueen green and blue tartan coat dress during a visit to Scotland in 2019.

The royal isn't afraid to rock a bold shade, like this pretty magenta she wore to The Royal Opera House in 2019.

Kate was all smiles as she watched a flypast to celebrate the centenary of the Royal Air Force in 2018.

The mother of three stunned in this number for an event with Family Action Charity in 2019.

Next to Meghan Markle's royal blues, the Duchess of Cambridge's monochromatic ensemble made a major impact in 2018.

In January 2019, Kate took a stroll with Prince William in a coat dress, matching hat and black pumps.

Kate was a major holiday fashion inspo in this green and white L.K. Bennett polka dot dress paired with a khaki clutch and matching heels during a 2018 visit to Evelina London Children's Hospital.

The princess looked like a real-life Cinderella at a 2018 diplomatic reception in this sparkly Jenny Packham gown that featured sheer cap sleeves and clusters of sequins.

For an official visit to RAF Akrotiri in 2018, Kate rocked a business-casual look that included a forest green Smythe blazer paired with navy trousers and a white shirt.

Kate hosted a 2018 holiday party in this festive plaid Emilia Wickstead skirt paired with a black Brora cardigan and slouchy black high-heel boots.

In 2018, the royal visitsed UCL Developmental Neuroscience Lab at UCL London in a burgundy Paule Ka blazer and skirt paired with a black turtleneck, tights and heels.

Wearing a chic blue coat dress with matching navy pumps and a black clutch, Kate stunned during the 2018 opening of McLaren Automotive's Composites Technology Centre.

Kate attended a 2018 Remembrance Day service in a dark green coat with button detailing and a velvet trim collar, cuffs and pockets. She paired the jacket with a fuzzy headband and carried a black clutch.

For the 2018 Tusk Conservation Awards, Kate wore her aquamarine Jenny Packham gown (a stunning look she's worn before) paired with diamond chandelier earrings, a matching clutch and Jimmy Choo pumps.

The Princess of Wales arrived at Imperial War Museum in 2018 clad in a fitted blue sheath dress, nude heels and a matching nude clutch.

For Princess Eugenie's 2018 wedding, Kate wore an all-fuchsia ensemble that included a stunning dress and matching fascinator from Alexander McQueen.

In 2018, the mother of three stunned in a burgundy accented Erdem check print dress paired with a matching clutch and heels.

Kate looked typically elegant for a 2018 mental health summit in this beautiful purple Emilia Wickstead dress, nude heels and an Aspinal leather handbag.