Princess Kate Says She Was ‘Teased’ by Royals for an Unusual Habit — But the Public Loves Her For It
Kate Middleton is one of the most admired women in the royal family. While King Charles reportedly thinks of her as the daughter he never had, the late Queen Elizabeth is known to have appreciated her stoic and dutiful nature. So, it may come as a surprise that the Princess of Wales was the target of some leg pulling by her in-laws during her early years in the royal fold. Middleton candidly revealed that she was ‘teased’ by the royals for being too ‘talkative’ and open during public walkabouts.
In honor of the late Queen’s 90th birthday, Middleton shared a touching anecdote about her grandmother-in-law for the ITV documentary, Our Queen at Ninety. As reported by Hello! magazine, recalling her first engagement with the Queen, she shared, “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.” She added, “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.”
Middleton’s candid confession caught the attention of royal watchers on X (formerly Twitter). A fan commented, “I say that is not nice of them to do that cause Kate is one classy woman who is a super role model.” Another joked, “Chatty Katie?” The Daily Mail reports that while it is not a hard and fast rule, royals are expected to follow certain etiquette in public, including protocol on how to sit and accept gifts. They are also not permitted to click selfies and talk to a person for too long during public walkabouts.
Indeed, the Princess of Wales has been spotted getting a bit too chatty with people during walkabouts. As per People magazine, during the traditional Christmas Day walkabout last year, Middleton noted, “I seem to have lost my family!” after Prince William and her three children went far ahead of her while she stood interacting with the well-wishers who had gathered. A fan once also detailed a sweet moment with Middleton, of how the Princess took the time to share a health update. They revealed, “We just had a little talk about cancer,” describing also hugging the Princess as ‘a privilege.’
A separate incident also showed Middleton’s warm nature while interacting with the public. According to GB News, in January this year, Middleton, on a royal visit to a knitwear and sock-making factory in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, stopped her royal convoy and jumped out of the car to talk to a three-year-old girl who had been calling for her from her mother's arms.