Kate and Pippa could be a force to be reckoned with if they joined forces

The long summer holiday will have provided the Princess of Wales with the opportunity to catch up with friends and family. And one name sure to feature heavily in her diary is her sister Pippa, who has been by her side since the very beginning of Kate’s royal journey.

Indeed, from the moment Kate’s relationship with Prince William became public knowledge, it’s Pippa who could be trusted as a loyal confidante. Just a year apart in age, the sisters have gone from living together in a flat in Chelsea, enjoying nights out at the most fashionable clubs, to both settling into happy marriages as mothers to three young children.

Pippa herself has confirmed that they have a strong sisterly bond and often turn to one another for opinions. This support, coming from outside the confines of court life, is sure to be hugely valued by Kate, says former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond.

“By dint of her position, the number of people Kate can trust with her thoughts and experiences of royal life has inevitably shrunk,” Jennie reveals. “To know that what you say won’t end up in the papers is a gift that’s unmatched for members of the royal family.”

In the 12 years since Kate joined the Firm, she has become a leading voice in the field of early years development and children’s mental health. It’s a passion that she shares with Pippa and, if the pair collaborated in the future, there’s every possibility that they could be a combined respected force in that field, according to experts.

Kate launched The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood last year, set up the successful “Big 5” survey to ask the public for their views on early childhood, and has unveiled the Shaping Us campaign, which highlights the important role our early childhood plays in shaping the adults we grow into.

Pippa spent last year juggling motherhood with her studies to complete a master’s in physical education, sport and physical literacy at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

On completion of her degree, she said, “I am passionate about sport and exercise and also love being with children. I wanted to find a topic that combined these two and felt that there wasn’t enough information, knowledge or focus on early years physical development for mums particularly.

"I wanted to learn to not only help my own children but to also continue work in the field to stress the importance of children moving from an early age.”

Having this shared interest has made the two sisters closer than ever. Jennie says, “Pippa and Kate have always been inseparable. They share similar interests – particularly sport and physical activity. And now that they have families of their own, both women are dedicated to promoting early learning both in the classroom and on the sports field.”

She adds that Pippa, who has son Arthur and daughters Grace and Rose with her husband James, is “determined to put theory into practice with her own children and beyond, if she can”.

Kate has described the Shaping Us initiative as her “life’s work” and said “it is more important than ever” to support the development of young children.

She added, “The way we develop, through our experiences, relationships and surroundings during our early childhood, fundamentally shapes our whole lives. It affects everything from our ability to form relationships and thrive at work to our mental and physical wellbeing as adults and the way we parent our own children.

“By focusing our collective time, energy and resources to build a supportive, nurturing world around the youngest members of our society and those caring for them, we can make a huge difference to the health and happiness of generations to come.”

Discussing the potential for an incredibly lucrative and instantly successful team-up between the Middleton sisters, culture and brand expert Nick Ede exclusively tells us, “Kate and Pippa have always been very close, and with the launch of Shaping Us I can see them working together to really build the brand and support in early years learning.

As the project is long term and one that Kate regards as her life’s work, it will need a strong infrastructure to roll it out nationally and perhaps globally – and Pippa could be the one to help make it happen.

“Pippa as a spokesperson would be able to expand the brand from a commercial point of view – something that Kate may not be able to do due to protocol.”

Jennie agrees with Nick that the sisters could be a powerhouse duo if they came together. “With their shared passion for early learning and the importance of childhood physical development, Kate and Pippa could be a real force to be reckoned with if they combined their efforts,” Jennie says. “I’m sure this is something they talk about and if we see them join forces in a new campaign, it would certainly make some big headlines and bring valuable publicity to their cause.”

Their younger brother James, who has his first baby on the way with wife Alizee, is also fascinated by the early childhood sector. He told us earlier this year, “The experiences that can happen as a child can change and shape you for the future.” He then went on to explain how although “you might not mentally remember” things from your early childhood, “emotionally and physically you can remember them”.

Nick feels that the Middleton family as a whole represent a really strong brand and that’s thanks to the discreet and dignified way they conduct themselves.

Referring to the collapse of the Party Pieces business that their mother Carole launched from her kitchen table in 1987, Nick says, “They’ve had their fair share of business success and also failure, but they’ve always kept their business to themselves and been very discreet. This is a really good sign for the royal family and it shows respect and loyalty from the Middleton family.”

He also believes they’ve given Prince William the invaluable experience of being part of a ‘normal’ family, which has provided strong foundations for Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte as well.

“Their down-to-earth attitude will rub off on the young royals and give them a more grounded perspective and in turn make them more relatable. They’ve also had a really profound effect on Prince William. Not only have they been a safe pair of hands as grandparents, but they’ve gone beyond that and have supported the future king through tough personal times and family issues,” Nick says.

“Having Carole and Michael as grandparents and parents is refreshing and also progressive in the eyes of the public, who want to feel they can relate more to the royal family – and through the Middletons' they can do that,’ he adds.

Jennie agrees William’s in-laws’ support has been immeasurable. “I think the Middleton family have steered a very careful course down a delicate path. They’ve observed the one most essential rule of living close to royalty – discretion – and have given William and their grandchildren the valuable role model of a happy family life.

“That’s something that has taught William some important life lessons which he can emulate with his own children, who evidently adore their maternal grandparents.”

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