Following last week’s unprecedented news that the Duke of Edinburgh will retire from his royal duties in the autumn, the Sunday Express is reporting that the Duchess of Cambridge is ready to step into his shoes.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge previously announced in January that they would move back to London this fall when Prince William’s job as a pilot for the East Anglia Air Ambulance comes to an end.
Prince George, who turns four in July, will start school at Thomas Battersea’s in London. Prince Charlotte will also begin schooling, although no announcements have been made as to where she will attend.
“Their Royal Highnesses are keen to continue to increase their official work on behalf of The Queen and for the charities and causes they support, which will require greater time spent in London,” Kensington Palace said in a statement when the couple announced their news.
The Sunday Express quotes a “well-placed source” who commented on the status of the Cambridge family, saying, “I would be very surprised if they have a third child. They have got a boy and a girl – there is a sense that their family is now complete and they are moving onto the next chapter in their lives.”
After the Duke of Edinburgh’s retirement announcement, an aide was quoted in the Sunday Express saying that, “It’s a sort of happy coincidence rather than something that has been done by design.”
“The Duke of Edinburgh’s decision has been taken over recent months with the thinking having began in earnest at the turn of the year. With Prince George starting school in September and the Cambridges moving back to London, the timing feels right.”
The Duke of Edinburgh is poised to retire from public duties after nearly 70 years of dedicated service to The Queen and the Commonwealth. The rest of the Royal Family will step in to fill the gap.
Another source noted the similarities between the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke of Edinburgh, telling the Sunday Express that, “If you look at Kate’s approach you will notice that it is very much in support of William, first and foremost, but also about carving her own charitable path, as [Prince Philip] has done with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and his long involvement with charities like the WWF.”
No more “work shyness”. Time to muck in. If Their Royal Highnesses wish to emulate William’s 96 year old grandfather, these thirty-somethings are going to have to put in a lot more time as does Prince Philip who has already put in more royal work days than these two.
Don’t you have a bridge somewhere you need to hold up UF?
Do bridges have money?
Prince Charlotte will also begin schooling, although no announcements have been made as to where she will attend. [I will just leave that here.]
So Kate’s going to retire in the fall too? That’s more believable than her taking on 700 charities.