Kate Middleton is Queen Elizabeth II's 'rock' as she adapts to changes due to pandemic

As things are rapidly changing due to coronavirus pandemic, Queen Elizabeth II has found support and help from Kate Middleton in carrying out her duties as the head of the state. The 94-year-old monarch is reportedly "depending" on the Duchess of Cambridge as she continues to reign from her Windsor Castle home with limited staff and away from her official London residence.

A source told Us Weekly that the mother-of-three has proven to be a pillar of support to the queen as things have drastically changed for her. At the moment, the duchess is her "rock."

"These are strange times for everyone, senior royals included, and having Kate as her rock has made it so much easier for the queen to adapt to her new life at Windsor," the source revealed.

Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth II has found comfort in the fact that she could rely on Prince William and Kate in tackling important matters.

"More than anything, knowing she can rely on Kate and Prince William to handle matters in her absence is the greatest comfort she could ask for," the source continues. However, the queen and duchess' relationship is mutual. Kate often depends on the queen's wisdom and believes her to be her best advisor within the palace.

As for the queen, she sees "the Cambridges as the future of the monarchy and trusts Kate and William's judgment implicitly."

"Kate asks for advice about speeches she's due to make, whom she can depend on most within the palace and protocol dos and don'ts. The queen's more than happy to impart her wisdom — she's proud to be Catherine's go-to adviser about royal life."

It's not only the queen who Kate has won over. The source suggests that her husband is "impressed" too. Together, they follow a "similar approach" that the source defines as "'Keep calm and carry on." At the same time, the duke and the duchess of Cambridge choose to focus on "positives."

"Kate's a genius at stepping back, breathing deeply and then approaching any difficulty with a level head," the source concludes.

Kate and William returned to their in-person royal duties in July. However, they continued to work for their beloved causes even during the lockdown using digital media from their Norfolk home. Meanwhile, the queen is currently spending time in Balmoral Castle for the summer. She is expected to return to Windsor Castle, which will become her temporary office for the rest of the year.