Royal experts praise Prince William and Kate Middleton over new family video

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Prince William and Kate Middleton’s ‘enchanting’ family video of themselves outdoors with their three children shows they are ‘signalling that the monarchy in the future will have a more informal style’, royal experts said today.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge released a 39-second clip of their family on the day of their 10th wedding anniversary today, showing them at their Norfolk residence Anmer Hall and on sand dunes at a nearby beach.

One royal expert said the video ‘goes straight to the heart of what has made the Cambridges a very successful family in terms of public image’, while another said it shows ‘how happy they are with their lives and in their roles’. 

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline today: ‘This enchanting video to mark the Cambridges tenth anniversary was a delightful surprise. We expected the happy photographs.

‘Both of them were superb portraits of a couple who are clearly blissfully happy, both with each other and in their roles, where they show to the world how far they are from being ‘trapped’. 

‘The Duchess has done a good deal of valuable work on children’s issues, particularly on those affecting young children. She has also talked about some of the problems of being a mother and has stressed how important the outdoors is. 

‘Mums up and down the country will identify with the simple joys of pottering with the kids on the beach, playing in the garden and in the countryside.

‘This is symbolically significant too. In 1969, the riverside family barbecue where Prince Philip grilled sausages in the film The Royal Family, was considered one of the reasons it was thought to have gone too far, in revealing the informal lives of the royal family. Even today, it cannot be shown. 

‘The Cambridges are clearly signalling that the monarchy in the future will have a more informal style, which will suit changing times. William also knows that if the Queen wants a member of the royal family to visit one of the world’s most troubled regions, he is the person to send for, as he performed this role expertly three years ago when he visited both Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

‘In William and Catherine, we have the ideal couple to face the challenges which lie ahead for the monarchy and the photographs and video which celebrate their first decade of marriage show us how happy they are with their lives and in their roles.’ 

In a tweet accompanying the Cambridges’ clip, which was created by filmmaker Will Warr and filmed last autumn, Prince William and Kate thanked those who had sent ‘kind messages’ to mark the milestone.

It said: ‘Thank you to everyone for the kind messages on our wedding anniversary. We are enormously grateful for the 10 years of support we have received in our lives as a family.’

Sunday Times royal editor Roya Nikkhah told Sky News today: ‘I think that’s a really interesting release and I think it goes straight to the heart of what has made the Cambridges a very successful family in terms of public image. 

‘Because while they jealously and fiercely guard their privacy, what they’re very good at doing is putting out just enough – photographs and now a video clip of private family time that makes the public feel that they are invested in them and they are getting to see a little bit of that behind the scenes magic.

‘That video came with a message thanking the public for all their support over the last ten years, and I think what they’re trying to do with that is to say “we understand you’re hugely interested in us, in our lives, in our children. Thank you for respecting our privacy and supporting us, and here’s a video giving you a little bit of an insight into what family life is like for the Cambridges”.’

She went on to talk about the ‘growing access’ that the public is getting to the Cambridges, but added: ‘What’s always quite interesting is that it’s controlled, and it’s very much on their terms, and it’s very often Kate that takes the photos, of course Chris Floyd took the ones that came out today.

‘We know that William and Kate are gradually taking on more work, they are stepping in taking on more responsibility with the Royal Family, supporting the Queen who’s now 95, and we are seeing a lot more of them.

‘Their role in public life and their role within the Royal Family is becoming more prominent, more important.’

At one point in the Cambridges’ video, it shows the royal couple sharing a joke with their youngest son, Prince Louis, while at another the whole family are seen toasting marshmallows over a bonfire.

The family look happy in each other’s company, with both the duke and duchess shown chasing, playing and holding hands with their children. 

Earlier, the royal family offered their congratulations to the couple on their anniversary. 

A message on the monarchy’s official social media accounts marking William and Kate’s milestone decade of marriage said: ‘Wishing The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge a very happy wedding anniversary.

‘Today marks ten years since Their Royal Highnesses exchanged vows at Westminster Abbey.’

The Cambridges released two tender portraits to mark the occasion today, with the Royal family also sharing throwback images of the couple’s wedding day on Instagram.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall’s official Twitter account posted a congratulatory message as well, complete with a party popper emoji.

The new pictures – taken at Kensington Palace earlier this week by photographer Chris Floyd – capture William and Kate smiling and in a relaxed mood.

The couple are seen cuddling each other in one shot while William stares intently at his beaming wife in the other.

Kate has now spent a decade as a fully signed up member of the royal family, an HRH, a duchess and a future queen. 

They are wearing complementary blue outfits in the anniversary photographs. William is in a denim shirt that is peeping up beneath a crew neck jumper and navy chinos. Kate is sporting a mid-blue dress that is crossed at the waist and has frills at the cuffs.

Second-in-line to the throne William married his former university flatmate Kate Middleton, who hailed from a wealthy middle-class background, in the central London abbey on April 29 2011 after an eight-year relationship.

Ten years on, the couple have three children, seven-year-old Prince George, Princess Charlotte, five, and three-year-old Prince Louis.

Kate, in her role as a senior royal, has focused her charity work on early years, young people’s mental health, the visual arts and promoting the benefits of outdoor life.

During the Covid-19 crisis, the Cambridges have been supporting key workers and frontline NHS staff with video calls and face-to-face engagements when permitted, and promoting the vaccine drive.

They also became joint patrons of NHS Charities Together. The traditional gift on a 10th wedding anniversary is tin, symbolising strength and durability.

The Cambridges have faced personal challenges over the past year, dealing with the fallout from Megxit, William’s rift with his brother Harry, and the Sussexes’ bombshell Oprah interview.

The Sussexes plunged the monarchy into crisis last month when they accused the royal family of racism and the institution of failing to support Meghan when she was suicidal.

Kate was publicly singled out by Meghan as having made her cry in the run-up to her 2018 wedding in a disagreement over flower girl dresses.

The Cambridges’ anniversary is a moment of joy during a period of great sorrow for the royal family, who are grieving for the Duke of Edinburgh, who died earlier this month at the age of 99.