Princess of Wales is a major royal figure - and her brother-in-law is not

Prince Harry made a major tactical error when he took on Princess Catherine in his memoir and Netflix series. Here’s what could play out next.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, was the star player at the King’s Coronation – without uttering a single word.

While Camilla, 75, was crowned Queen, it was Kate, 41, who put on the most regal performance of the day.

With poise, grace and confidence, she swept into Westminster Abbey in a deep blue Royal Victorian Order mantle edged in scarlet, a chic chignon teamed with a modern Alexander McQueen headpiece, and three perfectly behaved children – a few yawns from Louis, five, allowed.

She balanced pageantry with parenting, looking proudly on as her eldest son Prince George, nine, gave a flawless performance as page boy to his grandfather the King and ensured the service ran smoothly by taking Louis out halfway through for a break.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, was the star of the King’s Coronation. Picture: Getty

Charlotte, 8, was a “mini me” of her mum, holding Louis’ hand tightly at all the right times.

Throughout Kate looked composed, despite having arrived late with the family and having to follow the King in, instead of the other way round.

“Gone are the days of Kate simply acting as the heir to the throne’s plus one,” royal commentator Camilla Tominey, wrote in the Telegraph UK.

“As we saw with yet another power performance at the coronation, when it comes to capturing the hearts and minds of the public, it’s the Princess of Wales who truly wears the crown.”

She had been a royal novice, an outsider and now she looked and acted every bit a future queen.

Kate’s husband William, Prince of Wales, 40, performed his Coronation duties pledging to his father to become “your liegeman of life and limb”.

The Prince and princess of Wales have all the power now - with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex now well out of the picture. Picture: Getty

With Charles and Camilla taking on the biggest roles of their lives in their mid 70s when most people of their age are pottering around the garden or reading a book, they will be relying heavily on Kate and William to help with the workload.

William took on Charles’ former mantle of the Prince of Wales after the Queen’s death, but the change is more than just titular.

“Prince William is going to have to step up,” said The Sun’s royal editor Matt Wilkinson. “There is more pressure on him.”

William and wife Kate, who are arguably the most popular royals, have been very visible around the coronation.

Prince William and Princess Catherine are at the centre of King Charles’ slimmed down monarchy. Picture: Getty

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex leaves Westminster Abbey after the Coronation. Picture: AFP

They showed they have the people’s touch – catching the underground, supping on pints in the Dog and Duck pub and at ease with the people, making small talk and happily posing for selfies with fans in the crowd.

In contrast, the King’s youngest son, turned traitor Prince Harry, 38, who has for a long time tried to project himself as his mother’s son, has never seemed so out of touch with the people or looked more uncomfortable in royal circles.

He walked in the Abbey on his own – his wife Meghan choosing to stay in California with their children – and was relegated to the third row with his cousins Beatrice and Eugenie.

His face was then partly obscured from the cameras by Princess Anne’s feather in her hat.

Although he smiled and laughed with some of the guests, he hotfooted it back to the US, without even popping back to Buckingham Palace for a family lunch.

He has never seemed more on the outer.

With the Sussexes’ apparent PR game to make as much money as possible by criticising all the senior royals as often as they can, Harry and his wife are almost guaranteed to remain in the headlines.

Prince William will be looking to try and thwart any further damage his brother Prince Harry could inflict on the monarchy. Picture: Getty

Sadly, where their names feature in the Charles-William game plan for taking the monarchy forward, is likely to be a footnote focused on damage mitigation.

Kate had tried to keep communication channels open between the warring brothers, that was until the Sussexes’ turned on her in their Netflix series and in Harry’s memoir Spare.

And, that was probably Harry’s biggest mistake.

She’s now the one with the power and Harry will just have to suck it up.

Originally published as Princess of Wales is a major royal figure - and her brother-in-law is not