Kate Middleton hailed as an 'eternal influencer,' echoing Queen Elizabeth’s mystique: experts

Kate Middleton has been named the "eternal influencer," a title royal experts tell Fox News Digital is fitting for the future queen.

Earlier this month, British Vogue released its inaugural best-dressed list. The annual list features 50 of the most influential British stars. The outlet said that the "Princess of Wales's quiet support can change the trajectory of a brand."

Royal expert Helena Chard told Fox News Digital that Middleton’s inclusion came as no surprise.

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"Catherine's style, grace and ability to connect with people certainly aids her accolade of 'the eternal influencer' with her style, model-like elegance and fashion choices making her a global fashion icon. High street brands and designers all hope to dress the Princess of Wales and celebrate 'the Kate effect'," Chard said.

She continued, "Catherine emulates a combination of the late Queen Elizabeth’s magic and mystique. Her regal stoicism along with her kind, empathetic, reassuring demeanor is the perfect mix that captivates Royal fans globally."

British Royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that Middleton is a "pillar of strength and popularity."

"It is becoming increasingly apparent that the ever-stoic Princess Catherine is really a rock star and pillar of strength and popularity. Rather than just surviving cancer, she’s thriving and it shows. She literally looks as if she’s lapping up life. Her resilience is so inspiring for so many," Fordwich began. 

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She continued, "She literally personifies the British spirit of stoicism, restraint and dignity, all so admired by the public. Her dedication to duty rather than perpetual drama really makes her a national treasure. She’s relatable because she is the real deal, truly authentic without having to pretend she is. She’s comfortable in her own skin, with her own family and with her own roots, which are decidedly middle-class, which has actually been her strong foundation rather than a weakness. She doesn’t virtue-signal, she actually does live her family values."

Royal experts also reflected on how 2025 has been a defining year for Middleton — from announcing her cancer remission to hosting world leaders alongside Prince William.

"It is extremely significant that Kate is carrying out her duties with renewed vigor," Richard Fitzwilliams, a royal expert, told Fox News Digital.

"Her confidence radiates especially in public speaking, an area where she was once nervous. She knows that no one else has her profile and can communicate worldwide as she and William can. An indication of the strength of their brand is the dizzying heights of popularity both of them have consistently achieved in the polls, over 70 percent popularity," he said.

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Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital that Middleton’s transition from a "commoner" to the future queen has come through years of dedication and hard work.

"It is an ongoing trend of finding ways to support cancer charities, making sense in her life of the trauma she has overcome and balancing her life between public duties as a member of the Royal family, a mother of three children, a husband soon to become King and being a former commoner, who never thought in her childhood days she would one day become the Queen," Turner began.

"How do you make this transition work? Through hard work, determination to succeed, an ability to multitask and making each day a precious day after facing a potential terminal illness, she has learned that life has given her a second incredible chance to do good in the world, and she intends to grasp that opportunity with both hands," he concluded.

Explosive fire kills multiple people at Swiss Alps bar during New Year’s celebrations

An explosive fire at a bar in the Swiss Alps killed dozens of people and injured at least 100 others during New Year’s celebrations, police said.

The blaze happened in the Alpine ski resort municipality of Crans-Montana, Switzerland, police said.

"The fire started around 1:30 a.m. this morning in a bar called 'Le Constellation,'" police spokesperson Gaëtan Lathion said. "More than a hundred people were in the building, and we are seeing many injured and many dead."

Swiss police later said "several tens of people" are presumed dead and that around 100 people had been injured – many of them seriously. Authorities could not immediately provide more precise casualty figures. 

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Investigators were working to determine the cause of the fire, police said.

Valais Canton Attorney General said it was too early to determine the cause of the fire but authorities have ruled out terrorism. 

"We're just at the beginning of our investigation, but this is an internationally renowned ski resort with lots of tourists," Lathion said.

The number of injured overwhelmed medical resources, with intensive care unit and operating theater at the regional hospital reaching full capacity. Victims were transferred to other nearby hospitals, officials said. 

A reception center and helpline have been established for impacted families, Lathion said.

Authorities urged local residents and visitors to exercise caution in the coming days to avoid accidents that could further strain emergency medical services during the busy ski season. 

The community is in the heart of the Swiss Alps, about 25 miles north of the Matterhorn.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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