NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Lifestyle

The watchers: Who's keeping a scrupulous eye on William and Kate?

NZ Herald
15 Jun, 2020 01:28 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Kate and William are under close supervision to make sure they don't make the same mistakes as other young royals. Photo / Getty Images

Kate and William are under close supervision to make sure they don't make the same mistakes as other young royals. Photo / Getty Images

Prince William and Kate are being closely monitored by senior members of the royal family including the Queen and Prince Philip, according to royal author Tom Quinn.

Quinn spoke on UK TV channel 5's William & Kate: Too Good to Be True documentary, explaining that the Queen and Prince Philip were keeping a close eye on William, 37, who is second in line to the throne, and queen-in-waiting Kate, 38, reports the Daily Mail.

The senior royals are anxious that the Cambridges will repeat "mistakes made by other young royals", Quinn claimed, and they "didn't want that to happen again".

READ MORE:
• The real reason Kate Middleton is upset over unflattering Tatler profile
• True cost of Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton's royal feud
• Hounded, harassed, hated: Kate Middleton's rocky road to royalty
• Daniela Elser: Kate Middleton threat should worry Queen

The doco also reveals Kate and William's love story, as the pair met while they were students at St Andrews in 2001 and tied the knot in 2011.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Kensington Palace have not commented on the documentary.

William is second in line to the throne after his father Charles, while the Queen at 94 is the longest-reigning British monarch for date, having been on the throne for 68 years.

The Queen will be 95 next year, the same age at which Philip stepped down from his public role, and there are rumours she may hand over the control of the monarchy to Charles.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
The new doco also reveals details of William and Kate's early relationship. Photo / Getty Images
The new doco also reveals details of William and Kate's early relationship. Photo / Getty Images

In the meantime, Kate has been taking on more responsibilities to help the Queen in recent years.

The romance between Prince William and Kate Middleton began off-camera in Scotland, when the king-to-be fell for the art history student - quite literally.

Quinn revealed that William was so eager to meet Kate in 2001 that he tripped over.

"One of the funny stories is he was so desperate to meet her that as he walked towards her, he apparently tripped and said, "Oh that's a terrible start, you're going to think I'm a complete clot"."

Discover more

Royals

Can Sophie, Countess of Wessex, steady the royal ship?

19 Jun 05:00 PM
New Zealand

More calls for New Zealand to include Cook Islands in 'bubble'

15 Jun 02:49 AM
Royals

Queen's 'petty' Meghan and Harry move

16 Jun 07:13 AM
Royals

Meghan Markle believes it was her 'destiny' to return to America

19 Jun 10:30 PM

The doco revealed that Kate was quick to make space in her life for a high-profile relationship when she graduated.

She worked part-time as an accessory buyer for Jigsaw, having asked to work part-time to accommodate her relationship with a very "high profile man", according to royal commentator Rebecca English.

Kate and William are under close supervision to make sure they don't make the same mistakes as other young royals. Photo / Getty Images
Kate and William are under close supervision to make sure they don't make the same mistakes as other young royals. Photo / Getty Images

The decision to work part-time was "unusual for a modern woman," English said.

"She did that job for a while, but unfortunately the attention of photographers following her to and from work became too much."

Both William and Kate have become more involved in royal duties over the years, and have stepped up particularly during the coronavirus pandemic. Experts say the couple felt it was their responsibility to comfort people during lockdown.

Majesty magazine editor-in-chief Ingrid Seward told the Sun that the Duke and Duchess wanted to use their influence to benefit the rest of the royal family during the health crisis.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The couple celebrate their ninth wedding anniversary this week, as she also says that Kate "wears the trousers" in the relationship.

Since lockdown began on March 23 in the UK, William and Kate have had several Zoom calls with essential workers, clapped for carers, and William even joined in a comedy sketch for the BBC's Big Night In.

They've also launched Our Frontline, a mental health initiative to help frontline workers coping with the pandemic.

Seward says they feel they are the only influential royals young enough to be "out there" at the moment.

"They have the highest profile and want to use it to the benefit of the monarchy, which has to be seen as being a comfort to people at this time."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Lifestyle

Premium
Talanoa

How a young widow's blog became a beacon of hope for others

19 Jun 05:00 PM
Lifestyle

Auckland cafe to close after 70 years following rates dispute settlement

19 Jun 05:00 PM
Travel

Hate skiing? Try these snow-free winter adventures in NZ instead

19 Jun 06:00 AM

Help for those helping hardest-hit

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Lifestyle

Premium
How a young widow's blog became a beacon of hope for others

How a young widow's blog became a beacon of hope for others

19 Jun 05:00 PM

Aucklander Lata Visinia shares her journey after losing her husband James, 33, to cancer.

Auckland cafe to close after 70 years following rates dispute settlement

Auckland cafe to close after 70 years following rates dispute settlement

19 Jun 05:00 PM
Hate skiing? Try these snow-free winter adventures in NZ instead

Hate skiing? Try these snow-free winter adventures in NZ instead

19 Jun 06:00 AM
What you need to know for the Matariki long weekend

What you need to know for the Matariki long weekend

19 Jun 04:00 AM
Inside Leigh Hart’s bonkers quest to hand-deliver a SnackaChangi chip to every Kiwi
sponsored

Inside Leigh Hart’s bonkers quest to hand-deliver a SnackaChangi chip to every Kiwi

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP