The Prince of Wales has been carrying out solo engagements since 2005, so he is no stranger to being in the public eye. But when his wife Princess Kate takes the spotlight, the royal "visibly relaxes", according to a royal author.
The Princess of Wales has joined her husband on a number of outings this year, most recently venturing to the Isle of Bute in Scotland last week where they cleaned up a beach and spent time with local community members. Throughout their marriage, William has looked at ease with Kate by his side for milestone celebrations and annual events like Trooping the Colour.
"William definitely visibly relaxes when Catherine is near, and you see a similar thing with Charles and Camilla, actually," Simon Vigar, author of The Four Wives of Windsor, told HELLO!.
© Getty Images"William is very happy for Catherine to take the spotlight in a way that back in the day Charles wasn't with Diana, of course, but he is now with Camilla. They are clearly a double act," he added.
"It's very hard to do that job on your own, and I think we'll see an even stronger double act when the time comes, when William becomes king. She's obviously very, very important to him personally and publicly."
Recent joint outing
© Samir Hussein/WireImageThe royal couple, who also hold the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay titles, were all smiles as they recently made their first official visit to the Isle of Bute on 17 September.
In the wake of his uncle Earl Charles Spencer's recent shocking allegations, it was business as usual for the Prince and Princess of Wales who helped pick up litter from Ettrick Bay Beach and played shinty to celebrate the island's community spirit and volunteering ethos.
© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesWilliam and Kate appeared to be in good spirits for the visit, with William jokingly hurrying his wife along during the walkabout. "You've got to speed up, you’ve got to get all the way down there before you go," he told her while tapping his watch in a video shared by Kings Guard Tours.
The royals stopped to chat with locals in Port Bannatyne, including a woman who thanked Kate for her work in early years. “You’ve done more over the past five years to highlight it than anyone else in my lifetime,” the woman told her. "I’m really passionate about it,” replied Kate. “It’s needed now more than ever."
