How Kate Middleton’s Life Is Now Forever Changed

The wedding ceremony of the century is over – but its impact on Duchess Catherine will be felt for the rest of her life.

-Faye Brennan

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Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

A common remark we’ve all been hearing during this royal wedding frenzy is, “I would not want to be Kate Middleton.” Granted, no one would want all the world’s attention and pressure on them to be absolutely perfect on their wedding day – that is an unbearable load to bear. But, even though the wedding was by all appearances, perfection, most people still wouldn’t want to be “Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge” (even with that incredible dress!).

Why? Well, once she exchanged vows with Prince William, her life changed forever. It’s the plight of any celebrity who encounters fame, but it’s of a completely different magnitude for Kate. She’s now royalty, and with that comes new responsibilities, rules, and restraints. We asked Daniel Willis, a royal genealogist and author of William IV, Mrs. Jordan, and the Family they Made, as well as Eloise Parker, Royals Watcher and OK! Magazine Features Editor, for their expert input on what Duchess Catherine has to look forward to now. Here’s what they had to say:

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1. She’s now the press’s number one target.
Princess Diana and the princesses before her had to deal with it, and Catherine is no exception.  The press has already been watching her every step, and that will only increase now that she’s the Duchess of Cambridge.

“They will scrutinize whatever she decides to wear on any given day, her shoes, her makeup, hair style, even her mood,” says Willis. “If she shows the slightest annoyance at all of the media around her, they will comment on her ‘bitchiness.’ If she’s seen in public in jeans and tennis shoes, the press will inevitably call it a reminder of her ‘common’ roots. She has to learn to either totally ignore whatever they say about her, or take on the attitude of simply not caring.”

2. Security is now a necessity… everywhere.
Say goodbye to private time with friends and family, dear Kate. “She’ll be accompanied by at least one security guard wherever she goes now,” says Parker. “At the wedding, Will and Kate had 4 security staff each.”

Prince William may already be well-accustomed to this need for security, but Kate will surely feel the change when a simple shopping trip becomes an ordeal.

“The management at the shop will be notified ahead of time,” says Willis. “It will close for regular customers, and then she will come in with her police protection. When other celebrities close down stores, it is about self-indulgence. When a store closes for a royal, it is mostly about personal protection.”