Kate Middleton Often Upstages King Charles: ‘People Love to See Her,’ Expert Says
A royal expert examined how Kate Middleton often lands more headlines than her father-in-law King Charles. Kate seems to attract media attention regarding her fashion choices, a focus one expert believes can be problematic.
Expert explains why Kate Middleton lands more headlines than King Charles
During the Nov. 24 episode of Palace Confidential, the host and guests discussed King Charles’ first state dinner as monarch. The host asked royal expert Richard Eden how he thinks Charles feels about Kate “getting all the headlines.”
Eden answered, “Well I think he’s kind of getting used to it, isn’t he? I mean, remember the day that Charles was proclaimed king? He wasn’t on the front pages because the Sunday papers had all that walkabout at Windsor with Catherine, William, Harry, and Meghan.”
The expert continued, “So he’s kind of getting used to that but I’m sure it does rankle a bit. I mean when he was sort of known to be resentful when Diana used to get all the headlines.”
Eden noted, “And now he’s king but it’s Catherine on the front pages. But it was Catherine who was wearing the finest jewelry.”
According to the expert, “People love to see her. You know, handsome man though he is, Charles. I think we’re in the business of selling papers so we do want the most appealing person on our front pages.”
Eden added, “I think men appreciate that on these occasions, it’s the women who take the glory.”
Kate Middleton didn’t want to take the spotlight from Camilla Parker Bowles, expert says
Although headlines may have highlighted what Kate wore to the state dinner, one body language expert said the Princess of Wales seemed to make a style choice that let Camilla Parker Bowles shine.
Speaking on behalf of Slingo, body language expert Darren Stanton noted that Kate’s plum-colored dress for the Nov. 22 state visit was less vibrant than Camilla’s bright blue dress.
“We also see Kate adopting a more plum or maroon color dress, which is still proportionate to her position as future queen and senior member of the royal family,” Stanton said.
He added, “However, it is not an overpowering color like a vibrant red or blue and she is not attempting to put herself in the spotlight.”
Expert worries Kate Middleton may get ‘pigeonholed’ when the media focuses on ‘fluff’
During an episode of Royal Roundup, expert Richard Palmer discussed a sweet Kate moment in which she was seen giving her poppy to a young schoolboy. The expert shared his concern about the focus being on these more fluff moments.
Kate visited a children’s center where “she was calling for a change in the way that pregnant women and women who have just had children are treated in this country,” Palmer noted. “I thought it was really interesting and I think there’s a danger,” Palmer said about the focus being on Kate and the child.
“That was a really cute moment,” he continued. “I think there’s a danger that the Princess of Wales is sort of pigeonholed as a bit of fluff, as a bit of light relief from the sort of hard news agenda.”
The expert added, “I always say that is partly how the royal family are covered by us in the media. But I think there have been times when we’ve sort of said, ‘Well she didn’t really say anything that interesting. And if she said something more interesting we would have covered that’ rather than what she’s wearing, what she looks like, or some sweet little moment like that.”
