Ingrid Seward

The enormity of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's global influence is daunting, especially for Kate, whose look is admired, copied, and analysed everywhere.

The Queen made a great fuss of her future daughter-in-law, trying to demonstrate that she was interested in Diana for her personal qualities and not just for what she represented, as the wife of the heir to the throne.

When Lady Diana Spencer first visited Balmoral, aged 19, she charmed all the Royals and the Queen especially.

Indeed, the Royal Family still retain the German custom - introduced by Prince Albert - of opening their presents on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas morning.

For a sailor used to travelling light and looking after himself, many aspects of life as a royal came as an unpleasant shock to Prince Philip.

Of all Prince Philip's respected biographers, only Sarah Bradford is adamant that Philip has had affairs.

American manners are different than British manners.

When it comes to his sons, it would be easy to think that the macho Duke of Edinburgh has most in common with Prince Andrew. After all, it was Andrew, his third-born son, who risked his life in the Falklands war as a Royal Navy helicopter pilot - just as Philip had risked his own as a naval officer during World War II.

Even as she approaches 90, the Queen is sometimes glimpsed with her headscarf tied firmly under her chin riding her favourite hack, Emma - one of the fell ponies she breeds.

The Middletons and the Windsors might seem at first glance to be worlds apart. Kate certainly shows no sign of adopting the horsey, doggy lifestyle beloved of her grandmother-in-law. But the Queen admires how well Kate has embraced royal life, combining it cheerfully with duty and motherhood.

The Queen rarely loses her temper, but when she does, she brooks no argument.

When Queen Victoria became Britain's longest ruling monarch in September 1896, ousting George III, church bells rang throughout the country, and beacons blazed on hilltops.

When Prince Andrew tired of romancing a pretty dancer and turned his attentions to Koo Stark, he instructed the Buckingham Palace switchboard not to put her through when she rang.

The first year of marriage is not always easy, especially within the Royal Family.

As the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, the Queen feels she cannot be seen to smile in church - and her natural reaction is to combat mirth by putting on a stern face.

Sometimes it can be difficult for me if Ross writes something inaccurate or hurtful. Ronald Ferguson used to ring me up and say, 'Ingie, Major here! What rubbish has your husband been writing about me now?'

We got married in 1987; it was really Ross that wanted to get married. I had hoped I might find someone rich and never have to work again, and I could see that was not going to be the case with Ross.

Like many things, the hardest part about meditation is the decision to put aside the time for it.

Even if you only meditate for ten minutes a day, it is ten minutes well spent and, in the long term, can give you the wisdom to see that the answers to our problems lie within us.

I had always thought that meditation was for ladies who lunch and have nothing better to do but indulge in whatever the latest fad may be.

The path of royal romance has never been smooth; Princess Margaret was unable to marry the man she loved because it meant renouncing her royal status, yet her uncle, the Duke of Windsor, gave up an empire for Wallis Simpson.

There was never any question of Prince Philip's four sisters being invited to his wedding to Princess Elizabeth. King George decided their connection to Nazi Germany was still too shaming.

The Queen has well-informed opinions of many of her bishops and likes those who are straightforward and intelligent. Both she and Prince Philip believe Christianity is as much about forgiveness as morality.

My husband was a serial adulterer, and there was nothing I could do about it: no questions I could ask him, no argument I could have with him, no explanation he could give me or pleas he could make for forgiveness.

Prince Charles was once obsessed with a particular beauty, Anna Wallace, and couldn't understand why she walked out on him after he spent the evening dancing with Camilla at the Queen Mother's 80th birthday party.