The Princess of Wales has cemented her status as one of the most popular British royals.
Through the years, the mother-of-three has garnered respect for her charity work, her kindness, her impeccable style and her quiet confidence. Beyond this, she’s also nailed the art of royal protocol, including at key events in the calendar such as Trooping the Colour and the Christmas Day walkabout.
But did you know that Catherine had this one unusual habit that she’s since ditched?
During a previous interview conducted to mark the late Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday, the Princess of Wales revealed that she was ‘teased’ by her in-laws over her talkativeness during royal outings.
Recalling her first engagement with the late Queen, Catherine explained: “The most memorable engagement for me I suppose was an away day to Leicester and I went without William, so I was rather apprehensive about that.
“I think there is a real art to walkabouts, everyone teases me in the family that I spend far too long chatting, so I think I’ve still got to learn a little bit more and pick up a few more tips I suppose.”
Princess Anne’s clever hack
King Charles’s sister, who is often dubbed the hardest working royal, has also mastered the art of royal engagements.
During an interview with Terry Wogan back in 1985, the Princess Royal revealed that she uses a rather nifty trick to ensure that her engagements are always smooth sailing.
When asked about how she manages to think of something new to say to each person she meets, Anne said: “It’s rather like market research. You can ask everybody, literally everybody, the same questions.
“Like you have three questions for that afternoon, and you ask everybody the same questions. And with any luck, it shortens the time involved… Doesn’t always happen.”
Catherine’s return to royal duties
According to the Court Circular, the Princess of Wales officially returned to her royal duties following her children’s half-term break on Wednesday. While she didn’t appear publicly, the 43-year-old held an Early Years Meeting at Windsor Castle.
Catherine launched the Centre for Early Childhood in 2021 after a decade of royal duties. She later launched the Shaping Us campaign two years later, in a bid to shine a spotlight on the importance of early childhood development, from pregnancy until the age of five.
