KATE MIDDLETON, 38, is the wife of Prince William, 37, and a popular royal. She seems to have a close relationship with the Queen but a royal expert revealed this may not always have been the case.

Kate Middleton at risk of ‘overshadowing’ Queen says expert

Kate Middleton joined the Royal Family when she married Prince William in 2011. As well as being a hardworking royal, the Duchess of Cambridge appears to be a hit with her in-laws. However, an expert explained her relationship with the Queen may not always have been as good.

Kate has been a working member of the Royal Family for nearly 10 years.

In this role, she has made many official visits and appearances on behalf of the Queen.

She has even attended a number of events with the monarch and the two royals appear to get on well.

However, it has been reported that Queen Elizabeth II had some concerns about Kate before they tied the knot.

Kate Middleton shock: Queen Elizabeth II had some concerns about the royal (Image: GETTY)

Kate Middleton shock: The Queen was concerned about how much the Duchess had done in the past (Image: GETTY)

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The British monarch criticised Kate before she joined the family for one particular reason, according to royal expert Phil Dampier, who has been reporting on the family for 26 years.

“Kate was William’s girlfriend for eight or nine years before they got engaged and got married,” he told Express.co.uk.

“There was a phase where she appeared to be doing very little really.

“The Queen once remarked Kate doesn’t do very much so I think she had a fairly long entrance to the Royal Family.”

Being part of the Royal Family is no easy task and the Queen could have been concerned Kate had not shown she could take on the challenge, the expert suggested.

Apart from a brief split in 2007, Kate dated William for eight years before they tied the knot.

During this time, the Duchess of Cambridge was rarely seen out and many royal fans only heard Kate speak for the first time during her engagement interview.

Despite concerns the Queen may have had, Kate appeared to throw herself into her royal role and is now a popular member of the family.

Kate Middleton shock: The Duchess made her first big appearance for their engagement interview (Image: GETTY)

Speaking on their relationship now, body language expert Judi James told Express.co.uk it got stronger over the years.

She told Express.co.uk: “The body language signals between the Queen and Kate currently suggest a very relaxed, warm and relatively easy-going friendship with both women enjoying the other’s company.

“While the Queen always appears to affirm the fact that, despite her age, she is not in any need of support or aid, she often looks happiest when her granddaughter-in-law and future queen accompanies her or acts as co-host.

“Kate seems very adept at keeping a quiet eye on the Queen but without fussing.”

Kate Middleton shock: The Duchess has performed official visits with the Queen (Image: GETTY)

Kate Middleton shock: She married Prince William in 2011 (Image: EXPRESS)

Their bond is something that has been achieved over the many years they have spent together.

Judi added: “This stage of their relationship only seems to have been achieved with time though and probably owes a lot to Kate’s visual signals of growing confidence.

“She seems happier to acknowledge that she is popular in her own right now and that she has earned the respect and possibly admiration of the Queen too.”

Kate has grown more comfortable in her royal role which may have strengthened her relationship with the Queen.

Her hard-working attitude over the years is sure to have been appreciated by the monarch.

How did Kate Middleton become a royal?

Early life

Kate Middleton, or Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, was born on 9 January 1982 at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, England.

She was born to Michael and Carole Middleton, a former flight dispatcher and air hostess. The couple founded a party supplies company, Party Pieces, in 1987 – now estimated to be worth £30 million.

Kate has a younger sister Pippa Matthews, 34, and a younger brother James Middleton, 31.

Education

Kate and her family moved to Amman, Jordan, in 1984, where the future Duchess was educated at an English-speaking nursery school.

After moving back to Berkshire the family sent Kate to private school, St Andrews School. She went on to briefly study at Downe House before moving onto Marlborough College where she boarded.

For university the young Kate attended the University of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland. Here she was awarded an undergraduate MA (2:1 Hons) in history of art.

Relationship with Prince William

Kate met Prince William when they were both studying at St Andrews, and both living in St Salvator’s Hall. Famously, William reportedly took a fancy to Kate after she wore a see-through dress during a fashion show.

In 2003 the couple began dating and lived together during their second year of university.

The couple split in April 2007, however, in October they were back together.

Wedding

Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with his late mother Princess Diana’s engagement ring in October 2010. The couple were holidaying in Kenya at the time.

On 29 April 2011 they married at Westminster Abbey with a whopping 26 million watching the event live.

Kate wore an Alexander McQueen dress worth a reported £250,000 on the big day.

Kate assumed the title “Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge” and also become the Duchess of Cambridge on the day.