The Princess of Wales is the perfect representative for the royal family – but she experienced a few teething issues when she was first learning the ropes.
Kate admitted she initially struggled with one aspect of royal life, so much so that it became a running joke amongst the rest of the royals, who liked to tease her. The Princess revealed all during an interview with the BBC to celebrate the late Queen ‘s 90th birthday. She recalled her first official engagement with the monarch – and inadvertently let slip one of her initial struggles. “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.
“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.” Recalling the Queen’s kindness that day, she added: “She was very supportive. The fact she took the time to make sure that I was happy and looked after for that particular occasion, which probably in everything that she’s doing is a very small element, which just shows how caring she is, really.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Kate spoke about the Queen’s sweet bond with Princess Charlotte . She said: “It’s very special, us having a new little girl to the family. Very lucky that George has got a little sister. The Queen, she was really thrilled that it was a little girl and I think as soon as we came back here to Kensington [Palace] she was one of our first visitors here. I think she’s very fond of Charlotte, always watching what she’s up to. George is only two and a half and calls her ‘gan-gan’. She always leaves a little gift or something in their room when we go and stay and that just shows, I think, her love for her family.”
Kate further reflected on the Queen’s kindness as she spoke about her first royal Christmas at Sandringham, seven months after marrying Prince William. She told the documentary: “You would expect a lot of grandeur and a lot of fuss, but actually what really resonates with me is her love for the simple things.
“And I think that’s a special quality to have. I can remember being at Sandringham for the first time at Christmas, and I was worried what to give the Queen as her Christmas present. “I was thinking: ‘Gosh, what should I give her?’ I thought: ‘I’ll make her something’, which could have gone horribly wrong, but I decided to make my granny’s recipe for chutney. I was slightly worried about it, but I noticed the next day that it was on the table. I think such a simple gesture went such a long way for me, and I’ve noticed since she’s done that on lots of occasions and I think it just shows her thoughtfulness, really, and her care in looking after everybody.”