Dignified Duchess Kate's Charm Offensive

The busy royal puts on a brave face.

Perfectly poised in a dazzling tiara and jaw-dropping jewelled gown, the Duchess of Cambridge was a picture of regal elegance as she attended a diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace last week. With her smile firmly in place, she showed no sign of distress, despite her bitter rift with the Duchess of Sussex threatening to overshadow Christmas.

And insiders say that Kate’s renewed sense of confidence is all thanks to her loyal mum Carole Middleton, who boldly broke a 15-year silence to speak out about life as a hands-on granny to her three little heirs. In a series of one-on-one interviews with the British press, the matriarch ensured the Middleton family name was front and centre, with sources saying her timing couldn’t have been better.

“Until now, Carole has never said a word publicly about her life or what it’s like being a grandmother to the future king,” tells an insider. “But she’s incredibly loyal to her family, and she’s become increasingly uncomfortable with what she sees happening between Meghan and Kate. So she decided to act.”

While the unprecedented interviews were explained as marking the 30-year anniversary of Carole and her husband Michael’s party planning company, our source says the mum-of-three was thrilled to finally have her voice heard. After so many negative headlines involving her eldest daughter Kate, 36, she felt it was something positive.