There are many reasons why Kate Middleton has the respect of Her Majesty the Queen, but perhaps the most prominent is that the Duchess of Cambridge loves Prince William not as the Duke of Cambridge, but just as Prince William.

According to a new book, "The Queen" (opens in new tab) by noted royal author Andrew Morton, it goes like this. William and Kate met in 2001 as freshmen at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, lived together as roommates for a time, and dated for more than eight years before marrying in 2011. The couple now has three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, and in addition to their three children, the future of the monarchy is in their hands.

"All I can say about Kate is that I am impressed that the Queen adores and loves William not because of his title, but because of William himself," Morton OK! "She has done more for the relationship between William and Princess Catherine than she did for Charles and Diana. She spends a lot of time supporting and nurturing it. It is clear she had no intention of making the same mistake again."

Nevertheless, Morton says that William and Kate's relationship was not initially expected to last, having met as teenagers.

"Everything that happened in [Kate and William's] relationship was quite strategic and thought out over quite some time," Morton told OK! No one in the royal family expected for a minute that Catherine and William's college romance would continue long after they graduated. [According to one observer, the queen was thrilled on William and Kate's wedding day. 'She had the feeling that the future of the royal family, the future of her own family, was assured. The royal family was once again held in admiration and affection by the public."

William and Kate have recently held more senior royal positions than ever before. William attended the opening of Parliament for the first time this month and also visited the United Arab Emirates for his first state funeral on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen.