Queen Elizabeth II "preparing a surprise" for Prince William, Kate Middleton's milestone anniversary

Prince William and Kate Middleton are going to celebrate a very special milestone this year, and Queen Elizabeth II is reportedly planning a sweet surprise to honour Kate.

Prince William and Kate Middleton will mark a decade of their marriage on April 29 this year. On their eighth wedding anniversary in 2019, the queen had bestowed Kate with a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, her highest seal of approval, and is considering another prestigious honour for the upcoming occasion.

Royal expert Duncan Larcombe told OK! magazine: "It's highly likely she'll be planning a special secret something to honour Kate's 10 years in the royal family – something she can do to mark it."

Awards under the Royal Victorian Order are made personally by the Queen for services to the sovereign, and she might choose another honour in recognition of Kate's work as a senior member of the British royal family. Larcombe says that the Duchess of Cambridge has an excellent relationship with the Queen and it was she who taught her how to use video calls during the coronavirus pandemic.

"Kate and the Queen have a fantastic relationship. Kate strikes that balance between bowing to her as head of the royal family in public but being able to check in with her as the great-grandmother to her children," Larcombe said.

The royal expert added that the two women have remained close and in constant touch despite the ongoing lockdown. The Duchess regularly checks in with the 94-year-old and gives her updates on her and William's children—George, seven, Charlotte, five, and Louis, two.

"Kate has her own direct line to speak to the queen and she calls her to check in on her and give her updates on the children. She always leans on her for advice. It's believed Kate was the one to teach the queen how to use Zoom and that's been lovely, so she can see her great-grandkids and stay connected," he said.

Katie Nicholl, royal expert and author of "Kate: The Future Queen," also said that the queen made a lot of effort to make Kate feel welcome into the royal family after her marriage in April 2011. She said: "The queen knew how close not only Kate but William was to the Middletons and how important it was to keep them close, make them feel included."

"Kate's parents, Carole and Michael, have been invited to the monarch's carriage parade at Ascot and they and sister Pippa joined the Thames boat pageant for the Diamond Jubilee. Those moments will have been carefully thought out to show how welcome the Middletons are. It will have meant so much to Kate and William," Nicholl added.