The Princess of Wales experienced a tumultuous week as she came under scrutiny for her edited Mother's Day photo, for which she has since apologised.
And although recent events have proved testing for Kate, royal sources tell HELLO! that her inner strength will have helped her deal with the speculation and criticism that have cast a shadow over what should have been a happy family celebration, as well as a chance to assure the world that she was on the road to recovery following her abdominal surgery in January.
In this week's issue of HELLO!, Ingrid Seward, editor in chief of Majesty Magazine, said: "She has always been strong and determined, and someone who knows what she wants. She's certainly no pushover."
© GettyStrength is a characteristic that runs through Kate's maternal bloodline.
Former flight attendant Carole Middleton is a self-made millionaire, thanks to the party-supplies business she built from her kitchen table, and the Princess's maternal grandmother Dorothy, who came from a family of coalminers, shrewdly invested in property and was nicknamed "the duchess" because of her determination to better herself.
"You can see where Kate gets it from. Even when she split up with William years ago, she didn't collapse like a tired flower in a vase; she went out there and looked amazing," said Ingrid.
Royal author Robert Jobson, whose new biography Catherine, Princess of Wales is due to be published this summer, agreed, saying: "Kate is somebody who has inner strength and is steely behind the smile… Just because Kate is a nice person, and a decent person, doesn't mean she's a weak person."
He adds: "She's an intelligent, independent woman who's got three kids and carries out a full schedule of work and is recuperating from serious surgery.
"So, with all these things going on, she is not going to buckle at this."
Instead, the Princess, 42, is keen to put this episode behind her and has her sights set on a fun family Easter celebration. Her children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis break up for the school holidays this week, and Kate will no doubt be planning some fun springtime activities.
The family are likely to decamp to their country home, Anmer Hall in Norfolk, where they will have the freedom to go out for walks on the beach with the dogs, make Easter bonnets, paint Easter eggs, do some baking, and more. As William said during a visit to a youth club last week: "My wife is the arty one."
To read the full feature, pick up the latest issue of HELLO! on sale in the UK now. You can subscribe to HELLO! to get the magazine delivered free to your door every week or purchase the digital edition online via our Apple or Google apps.
