Pippa Middleton's Fairytale Royal Promotion: Princess Kate's Sister Could Serve in Ancient Storybook Position Once Prince William Becomes King

Pippa Middleton is reportedly sticking by her big sister, Kate, Princess of Wales' side as the future queen battles cancer, and even has some analysts calling her a shoo-in for an ancient royal court position when Prince William becomes king.

Ever since announcing her planned surgery on January 16, the next king's wife has been under siege by online conspiracy theories and a hashtag earlier this year known as "Where's Kate?" This included the above-mentioned pap shot of HRH and Carole Middleton in a vehicle, with Kate appearing to have a "puffy face." The princess put all the rumors to bed by "making a statement" with a June 15 appearance at Trooping the Colour.

Within the British Royal Household, ladies-in-waiting are typically appointed by the Queen or other senior female royals and hold their positions for many years, sometimes even decades. Their positions are considered prestigious and are usually filled by women from prominent families with close ties to the royal family. In centuries past and even during the late Queen Elizabeth II's reign, these ladies were always chosen from the aristocracy, however, Queen Camilla changed this rule when she became queen in 2022 and renamed the position to "the Queen's Companions."

"The Princess of Wales's sister, Pippa Matthews, would be a fitting choice as one of Kate's Queen's Companions, and I think like Camilla, she will use this modern terminology rather than ladies-in-waiting," royal expert Danielle Stacey told an outlet.

"Pippa has been there to support Kate through some of the biggest moments in her life — including her role as maid of honor at the royal wedding," she added. "The work that modern Queen's Companions carry out is not extensive as it once was, and on certain occasions, they may attend an engagement instead of a private secretary or a deputy private secretary, as we have seen with Queen Camilla."

Historically, senior female royals such as the Princess of Wales have had several ladies-in-waiting to assist them with their numerous duties and engagements. For example, Princess Diana had a small team of ladies-in-waiting when she was the Princess of Wales in the 1980s and '90s.

However, there is a trend towards a more modern and streamlined approach to royal duties. Kate has often been noted for having a smaller, more focused team compared to her predecessors. She relies more on a close-knit group of personal assistants, advisors, and aides rather than a large number of traditional ladies-in-waiting.

Thus, while the exact number can fluctuate, it is likely that the current Princess of Wales has a few trusted individuals filling the role of ladies-in-waiting or similar support positions, tailored to her specific needs and style of managing royal responsibilities. For many, Pippa would certainly be a fine pick for the role.

GBN reported on Stacey's comments.