Kate Middleton’s More Like Princess Diana Than Some People Might Realize
Is Kate Middleton really all that similar to her late mother-in-law? An expert says the answer is yes. Sure, the Duchess of Cambridge makes nods to Princess Diana with clothing. However, the similarities between the British royals go beyond style.
Kate used to stress about people expecting her to be the next Diana
Kate’s first few years as the Duchess of Cambridge were intimidating. “She was absolutely daunted by it and it was overwhelming at times,” a friend told The Sunday Times magazine in January 2022.
“Everyone wanted her to be the next Diana. People had this Diana hole they wanted to put her into,” they said. “There was constant ‘what are her [campaigning] issues going to be?’”
Kate’s husband, Prince William, dealt with it by not rushing. The Duke of Cambridge made “sure she had time and space to acclimatize to public life and not feel pressured.”
Kate connects with people the same way Diana did
Body language expert Darren Stanton discussed what Kate has in common with Diana in a January 2022 Marie Claire interview. He said there are actually “a lot of similarities between Kate and Princess Diana.”
Kate’s “shown a willingness to interact with everyday people when attending public events.,” he said. Not to mention “no other royal has interacted with the public as much as William and Kate since Diana.” Additionally, Kate “also displays the same level of true empathy and sympathy as Diana did.”
“She’s not afraid to display her emotions. Whether it be when she’s meeting with children, visiting those in hospital, or connecting with members of the public around the world,” he added. “She is happy to be an emotional support to others and it’s clear she truly cares.”
Kate’s genuine and friendly
The similarities between Kate and Diana don’t stop with the Duchess of Cambridge’s approachability. Stanton shared yet another way Kate’s like her mother-in-law.
“The one thing about Kate Middleton that noticeably hasn’t changed over the years is that she is a very genuine person,” he said. “Other public figures, like celebrities and even other royal family members, can tend to show a fake smile or disingenuous displays of emotion at certain events.”
Continuing, Stanton said “Kate is very much an open book,” never without a “very open and honest smile denoted by visible crow’s feet around her eyes.”
“Her whole face is engaged when smiling,” he added. “It’s clear she has developed a massive confidence not only as a royal and a public figure but as a parent too.”
Now, a seasoned senior royal with 10 years of experience, Kate’s carved out her own path in the royal family. The mother of three — she and William have three children; Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis — has helped modernize royal parenting, spearhead research on early childhood development, and more.
While Kate’s different from Diana with some saying the Duchess of Cambridge is nothing like Diana they seem to share some of the same characteristics, that is, according to at least one expert.
