Kate Middleton is teaming up with an unlikely royal sidekick this week

There is an unlikely royal duo preparing for a major first this week as they visit their two very significant patronages.

• Princess Anne and Kate Middleton are teaming up for a special engagement later on this week as they visit two important patronages. 
• This reportedly marks the first time they’ve undertaken an engagement without being part of a larger family group and it could be enlightening. 
• This royal news (opens in new tab) comes as we revealed why Kate Middleton’s special tribute to Princess Charlotte in her latest appearance is so nostalgic (opens in new tab).

Princess Anne and Kate Middleton are two of the most senior members of The Firm (opens in new tab) so it might come as a surprise to some fans that they’ve apparently never teamed up for a joint engagement without being accompanied by fellow royals. However, that’s seemingly all set to change, with reports suggesting that within a matter of days Anne and Kate will be undertaking their first joint engagement with patronages close to their hearts. 

As reported by Hello! (opens in new tab), the two royal women are set to visit the headquarters of the Royal College of Midwives and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists on April 27th. Kate, who took over Prince Harry’s patronages (opens in new tab) for the Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League earlier this year, is a Patron of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Whilst her aunt-in-law is the Royal College of Midwives Patron, with both based in the same HQ in London. According to the publication, Princess Anne and Duchess Kate are set to meet with representatives from Tommy’s National Centre for Maternity Improvement to discover more about what digital tools are there to support women with higher risk pregnancies. 

They will also reportedly be involved in a roundtable discussion with new mothers. The Duchess of Cambridge is known for her passion for early years development and has previously opened up about her method for “taking control” of her pregnancy (opens in new tab) health battles.

And whilst her visit with Princess Anne will no doubt be incredibly insightful, it's been claimed that it's also an interesting decision for them to team up as a royal duo.

As reported by Express.co.uk (opens in new tab), Pauline Maclaren, co-author of Royal Fever: The British Monarchy in Consumer Culture believes that there are benefits for both of them. 

“We have heard that Kate is going to be given more single duties to perform and who better to learn from than her aunt who has frequently been praised for her dedicated service,” Pauline suggested. “Kate will therefore benefit from Anne’s expertise and Anne’s work will gain a higher profile with Kate by her side.”

Princess Anne was the hardest working royal of 2020 (opens in new tab) and consistently delights fans with her unwavering dedication to her duties. Meanwhile, Kate is one of the most prominent royals, who's been stepping up even more in recent months and undertaking a huge number of engagements.

In light of their distinct skills, their partnership could certainly see a brilliant collaboration between them. Pauline has also claimed that having these more unusual pairings keeps the family side of the British monarchy at the forefront of people's minds.

“Pairings like this also put the emphasis on the family brand elements of the monarchy and are likely to be seen more frequently to ensure the spotlight does not only fall on Charles and Camilla as its future representatives,” she stated.