When Kate Middleton entered the Royal Family, she faced the immense task of learning her new duties and adapting to her role.
Fortunately, she had the guidance of one of the monarchy’s most experienced figures—Queen Elizabeth II herself. By the time of Kate and Prince William’s wedding in 2011, the Queen had reigned for nearly six decades, navigating the institution through numerous challenges.
The Queen, understanding the difficulties outsiders often encountered when joining the Royal Family, extended considerable support to Kate. This sensitivity toward Kate’s adjustment was noted by royal experts, who claim the Queen did her best to help her feel comfortable and “at home” within the monarchy.
Speaking in a new Channel 5 documentary, Kate and the Queen: A Special Relationship, royal correspondent Simon Vigar, explained that the late Queen went above and beyond to ensure that Kate knew the ropes in her new role, and felt comfortable completing her duties.
“The Queen was perfectly aware of how daunting it was for an outsider to join the Royal Family, so they would have had their techniques of making someone look at home,” Vigar explained.
Other experts appearing in the documentary felt similarly, with India McTaggart of the Telegraph noting, “Catherine has said the Queen was very supportive of her as she was undertaking her first engagements without William. I think she influenced her by showing her by example.”
In a documentary celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday in 2016, Kate Middleton shared how the late monarch accompanied her during her first solo engagements. With Prince William occupied with other commitments, Kate felt anxious about her visit to Leicester. However, having the beloved Queen by her side boosted her confidence significantly.
“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. 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.”
Kate added that the Queen “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.”
