Kate Middleton holds the future of the monarchy in her hands, says royal aide

The British royals can count on Kate Middleton to shape the future of the monarchy, according to Patrick Jephson, who said the duchess bears a resemblance to Princess Diana.

The former chief of staff to the late Princess of Wales said the Duchess of Cambridge "is just what these troubled royal times need." He told Page Six, "As the Prince Andrew scandal shows, the monarchy is in desperate need of, reassuringly conventional royal performers. Catherine is just what these troubled royal times need." He called it "no exaggeration that the Windsors' future lies in her hands."

Jephson then heaped praise on Kate Middleton's admirable qualities and even compared her to Princess Diana. He said the 40-year old "has that indefinable but essential royal quality: presence." He claimed she "has the bearing, the gravitas, the regal factor that already sets her apart from other royal women as a future queen."

As for her approach to royal life, the journalist said the mum-of-three has long considered the monarchy as "the ultimate long game." He explained that "unlike business, politics or media stardom, royalty is for life and its time horizons are infinite. Catherine has mastered that long game and that's a very significant achievement."

Jephson, who now works as a historical consultant to the Netflix series "The Crown," also shared his thoughts about the portraits of Kate Middleton released to the public to celebrate her 40th birthday on Jan. 9. He explained, "Royalty is symbolism and theater — constitutionally, that's its function and [an official portrait] has to work at first glance — and at the millionth glance."

Jephson's comments come after royal biographer Katie Nicholl pointed out that Kate Middleton has really grown in confidence over the years and evolved into a strong member of the monarchy. She claimed that the British royals, especially Queen Elizabeth II, will undoubtedly look to her for support amid the drama the family is facing, including Prince Andrew's sex abuse case and the alleged trouble caused by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. She claimed that the Duchess of Cambridge will only "go from strength to strength" and will be "more cherished than ever."