The definitive portrait of Kate Middleton, the beloved and private Princess of Wales, tracing her stunning rise from working-class roots to queen-in-waiting, from #1 New York Times bestselling royal biographer Christopher Andersen.

Kate is one of the most photographed, most talked about, most written about women in the world—heiress to Princess Diana’s glamour and mystique, both wife of one future monarch and mother of another. But as the daughter of an airline attendant who grew up in public housing, Kate was not destined for this fate. She had to fight for it—and for the love of the future king.

In this illuminating portrait, master biographer Christopher Andersen chronicles Kate’s life, beginning with her humble upbringing; her off-again, on-again love story with William that catapulted her to global fame; and the 2011 “Wedding of the Century.” Throughout their marriage, Kate has proven that she is more than just a prince’s wife—she is a leader in humanitarian work, the devoted mother of three children in the media spotlight, an unparalleled fashion icon, and the universally adored face of Britain’s monarchy.

Yet her story is more complex than the public knows. With startling new details from his inside sources, Andersen reveals the full picture: including Kate’s fight to repair William and Harry’s rift, the disintegration of her relationship with Meghan, her work to refute charges of racism leveled at the monarchy, and her bravery in the face of cancer—her diagnosis and treatment, and the bizarre theories that swirled around her public disappearance.

Kate! is an against-all-odds romance, a glittering fairy tale, and a heart-tugging family drama within the modern monarchy—but most of all, an inspiring saga of one woman’s grace and grit in the face of adversity.