Kate Middleton and Prince William Win Over Royal Fans Because They ‘Play It Safe,’ According to Expert
There’s no debate about whether Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge are well-liked — they have easily won over royal fans and their recipe for success isn’t all that complicated. One royal expert explains why the Cambridges are rarely accused of doing anything wrong. Bottom line, they often play it safe.
The Cambridges enjoy positive press
Prince William and Kate seldom face unfavorable press, unlike Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, who were constantly scrutinized by the media. The negativity that plagued Prince Harry and Meghan led to them eventually making the decision to leave the royal family.
During an emotional interview for the 2019 documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, Meghan shared their struggle with the media, noting: “I never thought that this would be easy, but I thought it would be fair, and that is the part that is really hard to reconcile.”
How Prince William and Kate approach their royal engagements
When the Cambridges make appearances or support causes, according to one expert, they take a pretty safe approach, which has been the key to their success in the spotlight.
Royal commentator Omid Scobie shared how the Cambridges have maintained their popularity over the years and he believes their strategy is rather simple. “I think William and Kate play it safe,” Scobie told True Royalty TV.
He continued, “That’s where it goes right for them. Kate has never really taken on a controversial topic. Her focus on the early years, childhood development, has been a really clever choice although we may, as journalists, find it boring at times.”
The Duchess of Cambridge has enjoyed popularity, Scobie asserts, as her approach has been quite mainstream. “It has positioned her very favorably in the eyes of the public and she’s not tried to do anything too differently,” he noted.
“For [the Cambridges] it works, for Harry and Meghan, they didn’t want to play it that way because it can be a little bit boring,” Scobie added.
Kate was very relatable during a podcast interview
As part of her work with the online survey Five Big Questions, which aims to take a closer look at early childhood development, Kate had a number of appearances to promote the project.
That included an interview on the Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast, which allowed the Duchess of Cambridge to have a candid conversation about motherhood. The interview won over fans who found the duchess relatable and open.
She even admitted that “mom guilt” is something she struggles with, sharing, “Yes, absolutely — and anyone who doesn’t as a mother is actually lying.”
She continued: “Yep — all the time, yep — and you know even this morning, coming to the nursery visit here — George and Charlotte were like ‘Mummy how could you possibly not be dropping us off at school this morning?’”
“But no, it’s a constant challenge — you hear it time and time again from mums, even mums who aren’t necessarily working and aren’t pulled in the directions of having to juggle work life and family life,” Kate explained.
The podcast’s host, Giovanna Fletcher, found Kate’s interview a wonderful reminder that, as a mom, Kate experiences some of what non-royal parents do. “I had never heard her speak so openly in this way before,” she told People.
“It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from — we’re all going through a lot of the same things,” added Fletcher. “We are all having sleepless nights and going through potty training or whatever it is… there’s something that unites us all. I think having the Duchess on really highlights that.”
