The now-Princess of Wales had a single stipulation she wanted the former monarch to approve before becoming a working royal.

When Kate Middleton said “yes” to Prince William’s proposal, she knew her life would never be the same again. But after agreeing to marry into the royal family, there were allegedly a few priorities that the Princess of Wales wasn’t willing to sacrifice as a working royal. In Robert Jobson’s new biography on Kate’s life, Catherine, The Princess of Wales: The Biography—which will be available to purchase on August 6, 2024—the royal biographer revealed that Kate presented a few “terms” to Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III, explaining that she would only join the family under one condition.

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According to Jobson, Kate’s family would supersede all royal duties. “[Kate] established some fundamental life rules that she would stick to when she joined The Firm,” Jobson writes in his new novel. “Her ‘terms’ were in fact presented to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles … She was clear from the outset that she would not be pigeon-holed into carrying out particular duties … her priority, she emphasized, would always be her family.”

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After 13 years of marriage to William, Kate has upheld that commitment. The Princess of Wales has managed to be heavily involved and present in her three kids’ lives (Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis), while attending to her royal engagements—although she’s taking a break at the moment while undergoing chemotherapy following her cancer diagnosis. “The royal couple will of course carry out their fair share of royal duties, but they both believe that being good parents is their most important role,” Jobson continues.

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Jobson believes this family-centered value of Kate’s is due to her own childhood. The Princess of Wales has fond memories growing up with her sister, Pippa Midldeton, and her brother, James Middleton, in Adelaide Cottage in Windsor Home Park with parents who were “always there for her,” and she reportedly wants her children to have the same experience. Jobson says her upbringing “has evoked memories of a very happy childhood being raised in a quiet Berkshire village, surrounded by her mum and dad and siblings,” so she wants her three kids “to experience that same level of security.”

While raising her family, Kate has also served as a trailblazer in the monarchy, transforming it into a relatable and approachable entity instead of succumbing to the way things have always been done before. “Kate will be very important in shaping the monarchy into an institution that’s relevant to modern people and not just looking over its shoulder at past traditions,” Jobson says in his book. “She’s a really stylish, incredibly graceful, and beautiful lady, but she’s got a steely core, and that enables her to say what she believes. She’s not afraid of giving her input, and she influences a lot of people that make the decisions.”

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