Former royal staff have opened up about Princess Kate's "calming" influence on Prince William

The Prince and Princess of Wales have been front and centre this year. And from Princess Kate's return to duty to Prince William's role elevation, the royal couple has been making non-stop headlines.

It is their relationship that has been getting the world talking the most, with experts reporting that Princess Kate and Prince William are stronger than ever after navigating the "toughest year of their lives together".

"The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family," Princess Kate explained in a rare statement about her health last year. "Life as you know it can change in an instant and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown.

"This time has above all reminded William and me to reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life, which so many of us often take for granted. Of simply loving and being loved."

As 2025 brings new commitments and challenges for the future King, Princess Kate has been credited as a "pillar of strength" for Prince William.

This week, it was her calming influence on her husband that made headlines, as a royal staff member recalled to The Times that both King Charles and Prince William "get irritated very quickly."

"They are very picky. It comes naturally to them," the source explained, before adding: "I don’t know where William would be without Kate.

"She hasn’t had everything done for her throughout her life, so she calms him down when he gets a bit fractious. She said he sometimes has to be treated as her fourth child."

This reportedly extends to Prince William's fallout with Prince Harry, with Princess Kate thought to be pushing for peace behind the scenes.

"It bothers Kate that William and Harry are still estranged so she's taking matters into her own hands," a source recently told Star magazine, via the Mirror. “She feels their feud has gone on long enough and that it's time for William and Harry to be brothers again. She believes there's still time to repair the damage and has been quietly pushing for a truce."

We will continue to update this story.