SARAH VINE: Kate, a class act that can be the rock of the monarchy

As Shakespeare said, some are born great, others achieve greatness and others are driven by greatness.

In a way, Prince Philip was all three, a man born of the Greek royal family but who denied his birthright; someone who had to work hard to find out their status in life; and a man who ended up, over the course of seven decades, alongside the queen, earning a unique place in history as the oldest consort of any monarch.

The Duke of Edinburgh was not a man seeking legal recognition; he went out there and damn won it. He understood that titles alone do not make a man a true prince. Yes, it may be that, with his pomp, he has been the overflowing duke debonaire with thirst for excitement and a modernizing mission; but there was always substance behind the gloss, a real determination to see things and prove their worth.

Still, he always seemed to carry his successes so lightly. Saturday’s funeral, so poignant in its simplicity, exemplified that sentiment.

Conceived in detail by the Duke himself, he managed to convey the whole moment of a great state occasion without being pompous or self-magnifying. It was both a celebration of the man and an honor of the institution and the woman he served.

In death, as in life, the duke acknowledged his dedication to duty while remaining true to his own identity.

This strength of character and clarity is increasingly scarce nowadays, which is one of the many reasons why you will miss it.

But the British royal family is lucky. Although, despite decades of marital strife, misjudgment and general misfortune, there is one in their ranks who seems willing to take on their mantle, another royal consort with the intelligence and vision to see beyond. of their own immediate needs and recognize the big picture: the Duchess of Cambridge.

That slim, fresh girl from the United States who caught Prince William’s attention at St Andrews University 20 years ago has matured to become a wise and capable woman, a dedicated and balanced woman and mother, a lighthouse of style and elegance, accomplished public speaker – and someone who exudes an aura of calm ability that seems to surround everyone in their force field.

It was never proven more than Saturday afternoon.

Arriving in Windsor, she was caught looking directly at the camera, her gaze firm and serious, her gloomy but impeccably elegant demeanor. Calm, confident and self-composed, she went as usual, with impeccable grace.

That the Duchess is a class act is, of course, nothing new. Over the last few years, and particularly during the pandemic, it has rarely been wrong. She exudes the right mix of warmth and discretion, sharing visits without the protection of life as a royal woman without exposing herself or her family to more than is right or necessary.

But at Saturday’s funeral he surpassed even his high standards. It was not only his balance and style, but also the way he displayed himself as a beacon of light in the darkest hours.

His kindness and sense of duty shone in his determination to set aside any feeling of personal resentment he might have felt for Prince Harry, Meghan, and that interview, which had cast him in such a negative light; do what was best for her husband, her family, and ultimately the nation, and smooth the way toward reconciliation between brothers.

Let’s be honest, I would have had the perfect right to give Harry a spacious bed. Not just from what the Duchess of Sussex said in Oprah’s interview about Kate, which had made her cry, not the other way around, in the run-up to the Sussex wedding; but also because everything has been so deeply annoying to William.

It is William who has felt the sting of fraternal betrayal and the fury of being unjustly punished as part of a racist and harassing family. The Duchess of Cambridge could easily have felt that any kind of reconciliation or rapprochement at this stage would be premature.

But instead of shrinking from the challenge, he found her head-on as they walked after the funeral to the castle.

Knowing, perhaps, that with the cameras in the world, the brothers would be less likely to do a show, she extended her hand of friendship to Harry and attracted him to the conversation.

Whatever their own feelings about what was said about her in the interview, she set them aside for the greater good: an opportunity to turn what was a deeply sad occasion into a, perhaps, tinged one. of hope. And he did it with such simple charm and generosity of spirit.

Who knows if Harry and William’s exchange will go some way to start bridging the gap between them; but God loves Kate for trying it. To see the big picture and put your happiness before your own satisfaction.

And what a stark contrast, it must be said, with that other royal consort, in the sunny Santa Barbara, always so quick to take offense, always so eager to be a victim.

Well, you can say whatever you want: the quiet sincerity of the Duchess of Cambridge’s good heart is the whole truth we need to know.

Because Kate understands, as the Duke of Edinburgh did before, that being a consort of the British royal family can be a long and hard road to walk, but that if you do it slowly and one step at a time, and show yourself to be a calm and wise voice of common sense, you can be the rock on which a much-loved institution stands firm.