Princess Kate in 'lonely position' as she enters 'uncharted waters'

As one of the highest-ranked royals in popularity, Kate has forged her own path since joining the Royal Family, according to a royal author.

Tessa Dunlop said: "I think in some ways, Kate feels probably quite lonely.

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"She's left the category of a lone ranger or rich girl from her home county and has become this sort of stratospherically famous, influential individual and I think that's probably quite a lonely position.

"Which is why she's lucky she's got a good relationship with her mother and a very good one with her sister."

Dunlop also told OK!: "Kate has very much charted her own course in some respects, she's an outsider.

"She's an incredibly successful import into the Royal Family and bought into the institution of monarchy, almost like no other outsider has and reaffirmed its sort of conventional parameters."

Kate's "uncharted" position is down to the fact that Princess Diana died at the age of 36, according to the commentator.

Dunlop explained: "She had died before she got to Kate's age, they (the monarchy) haven't had a Kate.

"Kate is now in uncharted waters in modern history and I think that's worth bearing in mind.

"The future Queen Consort's role is an incredibly influential one and this is all about soft power."

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William and Kate have just hired a new director for their Royal Foundation - Dame Pippa Harris, who was previously the producer of Call The Midwife.

The traditional term used for the position is Master of the Household.

The forward-thinking move is a first for members of the Royal Family and comes after the Prince and Princess of Wales have taken on more responsibilities since the Queen's death last year.