Princess Kate Opens Up About Early Royal Struggles and Sweet Memories with the Queen
The Princess of Wales has blossomed into one of the royal family’s most cherished representatives, yet her early days were not without challenges. In a BBC interview marking the late Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday, Princess Kate shared some of her initial struggles with royal duties and her admiration for the Queen’s kindness and care.
Recalling her first solo engagement with the Queen, Kate admitted to feeling nervous. “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 said, told the Daily Record. She also confessed to having a bit of a learning curve when it came to royal walkabouts, a skill that became something of a family joke. “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.”
Kate spoke warmly of the Queen’s supportive nature during that engagement, noting, “She was very supportive. The fact she took the time to make sure that I was happy and looked after for that particular occasion… just shows how caring she is, really.”
In another part of the interview, Kate reflected on the Queen’s close bond with her children, especially Princess Charlotte. “The Queen, she was really thrilled that it was a little girl,” Kate recalled. “As soon as we came back to Kensington [Palace], she was one of our first visitors here. She’s very fond of Charlotte, always watching what she’s up to.” Kate added that the Queen would often leave little gifts in the children’s rooms whenever they stayed, a gesture that highlighted her love for family. “George is only two and a half and calls her ‘gan-gan’,” Kate shared, endearingly noting the Queen’s thoughtfulness, told by the Mirror.
Kate also remembered her first Christmas at Sandringham, a few months after her marriage to Prince William. Despite the grandeur one might expect, she found the Queen’s love for simplicity to be her most endearing quality. When faced with the challenge of finding a Christmas gift for the Queen, Kate decided to make chutney from her grandmother’s recipe. “I thought: ‘I’ll make her something,’ which could have gone horribly wrong, but I decided to make my granny’s recipe for chutney.” The next day, she was touched to see her homemade gift on the table. “Such a simple gesture went such a long way for me, and I’ve noticed since that she’s done that on lots of occasions.”
These stories reveal the Queen’s warmth, thoughtfulness, and the special bond she shared with her family, particularly with Kate as she navigated her early days in royal life.