They say there’s no business like show business, and it seems Prince William and Kate Middleton are catching on.

As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle continue to take flack for their starry connections to the TV and film industry it was interesting to see Kate and William appoint Dame Pippa Harris, the former producer of Call the Midwife, as the director of their Royal Foundation. She will also direct the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund Trustee Company.

William and Kate have made topics, such as environment, mental health, and education, the cornerstone of their Royal Foundation’s work. But Pippa’s appointment comes at a time when the Royal Couple seem to be working hard to boost their social media presence in a bid to capture a younger audience.

This isn’t the first time Kate and William have taken steps to modernise their approach to royal duties. In July last year, the couple were looking to hire a social media strategist with ‘tact and discretion’ to lead their expanding platforms. They also set up a YouTube channel in 2021, which has since amassed almost 5,000 subscribers. The short videos give viewers a behind-the-scenes peek at their royal engagements, tours and speeches.

It’s interesting then, that their new hire is a major industry power player. Pippa, 56, is a film and TV producer who has an impressive set of credentials producing and commissioning programs for the UK’s major channels. After a stint at Channel 4 and then the BBC, she co-founded Neal Street Productions in 2003 with Sam Mendes and Caro Newling.

Alongside Call The Midwife – one of the most watched TV dramas in the UK – her portfolio with Sam includes Revolutionary Road, which starred Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, and 1917, a World War epic for which they won a Golden Globe and two Baftas. Pippa herself was formerly a chair of BAFTA and is currently Bafta’s Vice President for Television.

The parallels to the direction Harry and Meghan are taking – moving towards social media, documentary-style work and making things look slicker than ever – seem obvious.

But it’s not the only overlap the couples are currently having – on World Mental Health day yesterday, both couples made a series of appearances about the subject which is close to their hearts and, of course, used to be a united effort between them.

Kate and William were in Birmingham, taking part in a forum for young people, with BBC Radio 1 and charity The Mix. Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a surprise visit to a school in Brooklyn, Marcy Lab School, where they met pupils.

It could be easy to see the twin visits as an attempt to ‘landgrab’ the discussion on mental health – but perhaps it’s more of a sad indictment of what the couples could’ve done together for the Royal Family and many causes, had the family not fallen out so badly.

So, what could the super-connected Dame Pippa bring to the table for Kate and William? Very few outsiders are brought into royal circles, so every appointment could be viewed as a key to the future plans for the royals.

Starting as a receptionist for a small company who produced training films for clients, Pippa went on to land a script development job at Channel 4 before later becoming head of drama commissioning for the BBC.

On stage, Neal Street Studios have produced Shrek The Musical and the musical adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as well as the critically acclaimed production of The Ferryman, written by Jez Butterworth and directed by Sam Mendes.

Pippa’s impressive achievements extend beyond the TV sphere. In 2015, she was made a Dame in the Dissolution Honours. She is also an Ambassador for Women for Women International and a Patron of the neonatal charity Best Beginnings. A source told The Daily Mail that Pippa was ‘a big appointment’ adding ‘Dame Pippa knows everyone and is an expert at getting things done.’

It seems she might be the perfect person to help the Royal Foundation capture a new, younger audience. The organisation was first established in September 2009 to help Prince William and Prince Harry support their charitable grants. Initially, there were concerns that Harry leaving the organisation would cause it to suffer.

But the charity is continuing to flourish in Harry’s absence: in 2021, its revenue rose to £11.78 million. Pippa will join eight other active directors of the foundation, including Alice Webb, the British television executive, and Lord Hague, a former leader of the Conservative Party.

But Kate and William aren’t the only Royals developing new power relationships. After stepping back from their position as senior royals, Meghan and Harry cultivated an inner circle and support network in California, which was dubbed the ‘Montecito Mafia.’ Meghan is reportedly close friends with several Montecito power players, including Victoria Jackson, an entrepreneur who runs her own cosmetics line, Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King and Ari Emanuel, whose talent agency (Endeavor) signed Meghan earlier this year. Meghan is also friends with designer Misha Nonoo, photographer Misan Harriman – who she introduced at his TED talk – and her old Suits co-stars Sarah Rafferty and Abigail Spencer.

This new circle forms part of Meghan and Harry’s new Hollywood lifestyle. They stroked deals with entertainment giants including Netflix and Spotify, and Meghan signed for representation with William Morris Endeavor (WME) back in April, an agency which has also represented major stars including Adele, and tennis player Serena Williams.

But perhaps it’s no surprise to see Harry and William head in this direction. The link between showbusiness and the Royals was set in place even further back. Diana, whose A-list inner circle included George Michael, Freddie Mercury, and Gianni Versace, reportedly had plans to make documentaries, and even move into Julie Andrews’s house, before her death in 1997.

Kate and William are no strangers to socialising with famous faces as part of their royal duties. Last year, they attended a special charity screening of Top Gun: Maverick, where they were pictured with Tom Cruise. They also count Victoria and David Beckham among their friends, with David speaking to William about his ‘toughest year’ as part of William’s Head’s Up campaign.

But ultimately, the royal couple have always stayed closest to their day ones. Kate’s loyal inner circle extends from school friends, including Hannah Carter and Trinni Foyle, to family friends like Sophie Carter, who had Prince George as a pageboy and Charlotte as a bridesmaid at her wedding. In the past, Kate has called the people ‘around home’ very ‘supportive’, adding ‘those are the people who really matter to us, our close friends and close family…’

What Dame Pippa will bring to that circle is yet to be seen. But one things seems likely – we’ll be all be watching the product of her labours on our TVs and phones in the increasingly social-media and youth-savvy future Kate and William are plotting out for the Royal Family.