We can all agree this has been among the most unsettling few weeks in recent memory. And at a time when it feels like we’re all looking for the grownup in the room to come fix this mess, our Kate’s calm, cheery, “just go for a walk in the garden and you’ll feel better” mum energy is exactly the vibration we want to be on right now.

The Duchess of Cambridge has been growing in confidence and self-assuredness for a while now, but this past week has highlighted how far she’s come from the shy, modest Kate of a few years ago. Read on for all the ways Kate has been owning it this week.

 

1. She rocked a power suit

Kate paid a visit with William to healthcare workers on the frontlines of the coronavirus fight last Friday, where everyone kept a suitable distance, used hand sanitizer and talked about their exponentially increasing workload. For the occasion, Kate wore a standout rose-coloured pantsuit, an extremely rare choice for her—possibly her first at a royal engagement. (It’s from the hearteningly affordable high-street chain Marks & Spencer and available to shop from Canada!)

This may seem like a trivial thing, but it was a statement: This was a woman who was not relying on frills, sparkles or a jaw-dropping price tag to make her a princess. She was there as herself, and more to the point, as a serious, powerful version of herself that was a far cry from both the Barbie Dream Princess that we saw a lot in her early years as a royal and her hundreds of skirt suits that are nice, but predictable and somewhat stuffy.

Now, noted power dresser Meghan set a royal power suit precedent in razor-sharp black Alexander McQueen at 2019’s Endeavour Awards, and who’s to say Kate isn’t taking a leaf from her ultra-self-assured sister-in-law? Maybe seeing Meghan and Harry take matters into their own hands has inspired Kate to be more proactive in carving out a life where she can thrive and not just survive? On that note…

2. She’s claiming her own space within the royal family

Sunday’s Mother’s Day post shared on the Kensington Royal Instagram was filled with evidence that Kate is coming into her own. Along with a beautiful, candid picture of Kate, with the kids and Wills blurred in the background, the carousel included a photo of Wills, Harry and Diana (sweet but not unexpected) and then two images that felt like Kate had uploaded them straight from her own camera roll.

 

The first was a throwback picture of Kate as a baby with her own mum, Carole. As well as showcasing Mrs. Middleton’s babeliness (and how Kate is so her mini-me), this was a power move on Kate’s part. By including her middle-class mother alongside the blue-blooded Princess of Wales, Kate is giving her side of the family equal weight—and sticking it to all the tabloids and aristos who used to make fun of the fact that her mother was a flight attendant.

3. She’s owning her identity as a mum

The fourth slide in the aforementioned carousel is a piece of artwork created by George for his mother. The fact that she posted it publically is A) rather sweet; clearly she’s proud of her boy and B) owning her relatability as a mother, because bless him, but no one’s going to hang that on their wall if they didn’t give birth to the artist. As we saw in her candid interview on Giovanna Fletcher’s podcast last month, Kate is becoming secure enough in who she is as a parent to be vulnerable about its joys, struggles and its messier moments.

4. She’s chanelling the Queen Mother After the War

In this time of global coronavirus crisis, Kate is putting on a strong showing, coming into her own as an authority figure just as her great-great-grandmother-in-law did during the uncertain days of the Blitz. Just after the end of the Second World War, the much-admired Queen Mother (Elizabeth II’s mum) became known as a comforting, motherly, uplifting figure for a nation in a time of uncertainty—more shoulder to cry on than stiff upper lip. 

 

If you need a visual, yesterday was Mother’s Day in the U.K., and, to celebrate, the official royal family account posted an image of a young Queen Elizabeth with her mother (also named Elizabeth) from around that time. Just as Kate turned to a bold fashion choice to reassure the masses, both Lizes are rocking some standout heels and their best pearls. Keep calm, indeed…

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