Princess Kate melted fans’ hearts as she enjoyed a triumphant return to the spotlight over Christmas, but some royals fear she’s under too much pressure to save the family’s battered reputation, a source exclusively tells In Touch. 

“She’s very clearly everybody’s favorite and the member of the family that is the most respected by the public overall,” the royal insider says, “which is something she appreciates of course, but it also puts her under a huge amount of pressure because her opinion is being asked for every move the family makes.” 

The royals have been embattled by scandals and tragedy over the past few years. With Queen Elizabeth passing, King Charles took the helm of the British Monarchy, but has been largely unable to contain and manage the bad press ripping through the Firm. 

Prince Andrew’s notorious alleged relationship with Jeffery Epstein and the $16 million settlement he paid to his accuser Virginia Giuffre kicked mud over the good name of the royal extended family. Meanwhile, Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle have called it quits completely on the monarchy, opting instead to become Netflix producers, lifestyle gurus and show hosts.

Throughout most of 2024 Kate, 43, battled cancer and underwent chemotherapy, removing one of the only bright spots of the royals from the public eye for months. “It’s been dreadful,” Prince William, 43, said of the “hardest year” of their lives in November. Regarding this past holiday season, during which she returned to regular royal duties, the princess said it “gives us the opportunity to slow down and reflect on the deeper things that connect us all. Because in times of joy and sadness, we are all each other’s light.”

“While she was recovering,” the insider continues, “the Firm had to muddle through without her, but now that she’s feeling better everyone is turning to her to get her take on every little thing.”

With the much-adored princess back in the spotlight, the royals are now leaning almost entirely on her public image to help rebuild theirs, as well as going to her direct for guidance on how to emulate the future queen’s media savvy.

“It’s not just small decisions either,” the source adds, “They’ve got these major PR issues with Andrew and with the Sussexes to sort out and everyone’s looking to Kate for her advice on how to handle things.”

As In Touch previously reported, with Charles, 76, ailing and fighting his own cancer battle, William has been taking on more and more responsibility, which by extension means Kate, too. The couple has “never been more influential than [they] are now,” a second source said.

The first insider concurs that the potentially-impending ascendency of William and Kate is front and center of their media strategy: “She and William are next in line for the crown, so that’s first and foremost on everybody’s mind as well.” 

“It’s just such a pivotal time for the family and Kate is right at the center of all the decisions, it’s hard to imagine what they would do without her.”