Princess Kate's 'Unofficial Lady-in-Waiting': Pippa Middleton 'Rallying Around' Future Queen During HRH's Cancer Treatments

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 HRH's "unofficial lady-in-waiting."

This led GBN's royal correspondent Cameron Walker to share how the Middleton family is "rallying around" the future queen as she continues to receive preventative chemotherapy treatments.

"You can see the love and support that side of the family gives the Princess of Wales and has given her throughout her first major abdominal surgery, and then, of course, a subsequent cancer diagnosis as well," he said before adding: "There was that not very nice paparazzi shot of the princess and her mother in the car near Windsor, intruding on their private life."

Ever since announcing her planned surgery on January 16, Prince William'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.

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, when she was the Princess of Wales, had a small team of ladies-in-waiting.

However, as of the current wife of the heir to the throne, Catherine, 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.

"Pippa is not only Kate’s younger sister, but she’s her best friend and loyal to the bone," an insider recently shared. "Kate can trust Pippa with anything she needs to get off her chest."