Kate Middleton has ‘picked up steam’ after period when ‘it felt like she wasn’t doing a lot’

Kate Middleton has ‘quietly picked up steam’ in recent months after going through a  period when ‘it felt like she wasn’t doing a lot’, a royal expert has claimed.

Royal commentator Omid Scobie said the Duchess of Cambridge’s, 38, has ‘really stepped out into a more confident role’ in The Firm in recent months as she launched her Early Years work which will be a ‘lifelong project’ for the royal. 

Speaking on the Heirpod podcast, he said Kate’s voice was getting ‘louder and louder as she gains more confidence’ in her position within the royal family.

He said: ‘I think there had been times where it felt like she wasn’t doing a lot…and we’re now at a point where I think she’s really realising the impact that she can have when using her platform wisely.’ 

Over the past month, Kate has travelled across the UK to highlight her Five Big Questions On The Under-Fives survey, which aimed to spark conversation about creating the best foundations for children to thrive.

Omid explained: ‘[The survey] has seen Kate really step out into a more confident role, we’ve seen her quietly, over the recent months, pick up a little bit of steam.’

The royal expert went on to say that the Duchess was now realising the impact when she uses her platform, explaining that there had been times when it felt as though Kate ‘wasn’t doing a lot’.

He went on: ‘And this work with the Early Years, which is a lifelong project for her,  she plans to continue with this at least for the next decade. 

The royal expert revealed Kate’s work on early childhood had helped her ‘step into a more confident role’ within The Firm (pictured, at the launch of her Early Years survey in January) 

‘Focusing on the impact of childhood experiences and parent’s perspective, child’s perceptive, and carer’s perspective, it’s really something important for her.’

The Five Big questions On The Under-Fives attracted over 200,000 responses after it was launched in January. 

The month-long online poll, conducted by Ipsos Mori on behalf of Kate’s Royal Foundation, is thought to be the biggest survey of its kind and the data will guide the duchess’ future work. 

The Duchess spoke at length about her survey while appearing on Giovanna Fletcher’s Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast this week, saying the project has been ‘quite a journey’ and that she’s ‘excited to talk about it a bit more publicly.’  

Omid said the Duchess was ‘realising the impact she can have when using her platform wisely’ (pictured, speaking with Giovanna Fletcher for her Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast in January) 

She said: ‘Since being married and looking into this, it’s become a huge passion – going out and listening to what makes people tick and also things that unify people and also struggles people are facing right in the early days.

‘Meeting people struggling with abuse, homelessness and things like that you really get moved by some of the challenges that people are facing and its heart-breaking to hear.

‘The more you look into everybody’s experiences so much of those get traced back to earliest years of someone’s life and you hear that time and time again across the nation and the world.

‘You hear the sad reality that actually what experiences you have in childhood have a life-long impact on your future health and happiness. 

The Duchess has become passionate about early-years development since welcoming her own three children (pictured at Trooping the Colour with Prince William, Prince Louis, Prince George and Princess Charlotte) 

‘I suppose that has really driven my interest in digging deep [into early years]. I’ve been speaking to doctors, charities, trying to work out what can be done to help prevent some social challenges.’    

It comes after royal expert Camilla Tominey claimed Kate had ‘raised her game’ and emerged from Prince William’s shadow after Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle’s, 38, decision to step back from their roles as senior royals. 

Appearing on This Morning last week, Camilla said: ‘The pressure is really on the Duchess of Cambridge to make the royals move into the future.’