Kate ‘plays the long game’ and is always aware that ‘one day I will be queen’

New revelations that Kate was the one behind the royal family’s famous Oprah fightback statement shows that she is the real steely operator at the palace, sources say.

Details of how the late Queen approved of the subtle but firm comeback to Harry and Meghan’s toxic attack on the monarchy – with the phrase ‘memories vary’ – have emerged in a book by royal correspondent Valentine Low.

A design statement from the palace initially did not include the famous phrase and was a “much milder version,” although the Prince and Princess of Wales allegedly demanded it be “a little tougher.”

While Kate was “right behind” her husband, it was said that she was even more steadfast than he was on this matter.

When a courtier first suggested the phrase “memories may vary” — which was hailed as a classic iron-fisted-in-velvet-glove royal maneuver — at least two palace officials objected to it lest it push Harry and Meghan even further.

But it was Kate, then the Duchess of Cambridge, “who pushed through the argument that it should stay,” says Mr Low’s book.

He quotes a source as saying, “It was Kate who clearly made the point: ‘History will judge this claim and unless this sentence or a sentence like this is included, whatever they have said will be considered true’.”

The source said it was an example of how Kate is often a lot tougher than she appears: “She doesn’t get as much credit as she should because she’s so subtle about it.

She’s playing the long game. She has always had her eye on: “This is my life and my historical path and one day I will be the queen.”

Author Claudia Joseph recently revealed how lines of strong, indomitable women run through both sides of Kate’s family history.

Hers is a story of poverty and hardship in the Durham coalfields and working-class areas of London. There were also privileges and ties to high society.

The central theme, however, is that of strong, matriarchal figures.

Kate’s mother, Carole, made sure that her three children had the best possible start in life.

She got her drive and ambition from her own mother, Dorothy Goldsmith, who set her family on the path from poverty to prosperity – earning the affectionate nickname “Lady Dorothy” along the way.

Kate’s indomitable great-grandmother Edith Goldsmith was another tough woman, who smoked 20 Woodbines a day and raised six children in Southall, then a working-class suburb for railway depot workers in west London.

Edith was widowed in 1938 and had to raise her two youngest children – Joyce, then 13, and Kate’s grandfather Ronald, then six – in a run-down flat, juggling at a nearby Ticklers jam factory.

And another of the princess’s great-grandmothers, Olive Lupton, who 45 years before Kate was born, had worked to ensure that her family left the horrors of World War I behind.

Kate’s second cousin Kim Sullivan said: ‘Prince William is a lucky man because Kate comes from a family of strong women. Hopefully the country will benefit from its strength of character in the years to come.’

A global racism storm erupted after the Sussexes claimed “concerns” were raised at the palace about his possible skin color when Meghan was pregnant with Prince Archie.

The shocking accusation sparked crisis talks at Buckingham Palace during what was already a difficult time with Prince Philip lying seriously ill in hospital.

Meghan told Oprah that she called the Queen to check on his condition as he spent nearly a month in the hospital while being treated for an infection. About a month later he died ‘peacefully’.

A team of courtiers stayed up overnight on Sunday to watch Meghan and Harry’s interview, which was shown on US TV in the early hours of the morning UK time.

And although senior officials trapped in conference calls had debated how to respond, with a draft statement ready at 2 p.m., the palace remained silent.

An insider reveals in Mr Low’s book: ‘One of the reasons was that the late Queen was determined to watch the program first.’ That meant waiting for it to air on ITV on Monday night.

And so it was on Tuesday when serious negotiations began over the official response to Harry and Meghan – with William and Kate leading the charge.

According to Mr Low’s book, serialized The times: “They sat together on a bench as they discussed with their officials how to deal with the Sussexes’ inflammatory accusations.”

Meghan also claimed in the jam-packed Oprah interview that it was Kate who made her cry, not the other way around, as had been widely reported before.

The Duchess of Sussex went on to say she had forgiven Kate and revealed she had bought her flowers to apologize for the incident.

The feud with Prince William’s wife made headlines around the world after an alleged row over dresses for the flower girls.

Reports of the duchesses’ clash first emerged in November 2018, when sources claimed Meghan was unhappy about the “stressful” adjustment.

Stories differ as to whether the cause of the spat was a disagreement over whether the bridesmaids should wear tights — Meghan reportedly believed they shouldn’t — or whether it stemmed from Princess Charlotte’s dress not fitting .

A source said at the time: “Kate had just given birth to her third child, Prince Louis, and was feeling quite emotional.”

The extraordinary revelations about Kate’s role in the Palace’s response to Harry and Meghan’s interview comes as William and Harry both delivered separate speeches congratulating the Diana Awards winners in a virtual ceremony shared online on Friday.

The Prince of Wales led the way during the 43-minute online event by praising the honored youngsters’ “courage, compassion and relentless dedication”.

The Duke of Sussex, who is at war with his brother over the fallout from Megxit, appeared 20 minutes later with a former award winner to speak about the importance of working with other campaigners as “no one is a conduit for change alone”.