Kate Middleton's portraits of her 40th birthday signal that she is ready "to be queen"

New portraits of Kate Middleton reveal that she is ready for a new chapter in her life - a chapter which will finally see 'her crowned queen'.

For her 40th birthday last weekend, Kensington Palace released three new images of the royal family. The photos, all shot by renowned Italian fashion photographer Paolo Roversi, are a clear indication that Kate is taking her role as the next queen seriously.

"I do not think we have ever seen images of Kate like this before," Bethan Holt, fashion director for The Telegraph and author of "The Duchess of Cambridge: A Decade of Royal Style ," told PEOPLE.

"It really shows that the palace is using this historic birthday to set it up for the next chapter in her life."

The historical references, especially in Kate's profile photo on the side of the sepia, which shows her staring into the distance, with her hand intertwined with the ribbon from her Alexander McQueen dress with the shoulder out, are hard to miss. Not only does it seem to refer to the work of Cecil Beaton, the photographer who worked closely with the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth, and Princess Margaret, but it also bears a striking resemblance to a photograph of Princess Alexandra (who would later become Princess of Wales and Queen Consort) taken in 1864, a year after she married Edward VII.

"Kjo tregon se sa e vetëdijshme është ajo për pozicionin e saj në familje në vijimësi, ajo e di se përgjegjësia e saj tani është të rritet në një mënyrë që bëri Princesha Alexandra, në mënyrën që bëri Mbretëresha," thotë Holt. "Mënyra se si i pamë të portretizuara, ishte një shenjë në atë kohë që ata ishin gati të hynin në rolet e tyre të trashëguara dhe mendoj se kjo është Kate që thotë: 'Kam pasur dekadën time si nënë dhe grua dhe tani jam gati të jem Mbretëresha në pritje që të gjithë e dinë se është e ardhmja ime.' "

With her sapphire engagement ring, which previously belonged to Princess Dianws, on display clearly, in addition to a look at Diana's pearl bracelet and her Collingwood pearl and diamond earrings, it is clear that Kate intends to bring a little by her late mother-in-law. tek role.

"It's good that Diana is involved because obviously Diana never ended up taking that trajectory that Kate is most likely to take, so it's nice that her parts are involved," Holt adds.

In addition to Diana jewelry, Kate also wore teardrop diamond earrings that belonged to the queen.

"Jewelry has so much to do with narrative and conveying it to someone who will wear it and like it and pass it on again," Annouska Ducas told PEOPLE.