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Having been within the royal fold for nearly 20 years, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge knows exactly how to navigate royal life. When she and Prince William first began dating in the early 2000s, the duchess got her first glimpse of what it would mean to be in a very public relationship within a very traditional institution.

Since the duke and the duchess dated for nearly 10-years prior to tying the knot, Kate had a deep understanding of what she was getting into. Royal commentator Rupert Bell explained, “In a way, Kate is a traditional, English rose as it were.” She understands the British “stiff upper lip” mentality as well as the poise and grace required for the role.

Since she has been so careful in constructing her image over the years, the duchess certainly has had to make some sacrifices. In fact, she really can’t be spontaneous and carefree when she’s in public.

Kate Middleton has a lovely personality

Authenticity cannot be faked. It’s clear that the duchess is a doting mother who adores all children. After all, much of her work has been centered on children and early childhood development. She’s also seen as warm and kind by the British press and public.

In March 2019 while visiting Northern Ireland — a tiny royal fan asked Middleton how she felt about being a princess and the duchess’ response was epic. “I love meeting special kiddies like you. I meet lots of different people, it’s really… it’s really great,” she said. “I love working with young people. Everyone’s so brave and strong in some of the places we go meet. It’s very nice to meet you.”

Though she’s always poised the duchess is always quick to laugh and smile.

Kate Middleton tried to change her image before marrying Prince William

Though she is beloved now, the duchess was concerned that she was not being taken seriously prior to her marriage to Prince William. In fact, in the months leading up to her 2011 wedding, Kate attempted to revamp her image.

“With Prince William’s engagement now a surefire certainty (even Ladbrokes has stopped taking bets on whether it will happen after a flurry of well-placed wagers) there are intriguing signs that Kate Middleton is preparing for her future role,” Helliker explained. “It looks like she’s taking it very seriously indeed too. I hear that in the past few weeks the former accessories buyer has quietly informed friends that she would like to drop the informal ‘Kate’ and in future wishes to be known by her full name: ‘Catherine.’”

Unfortunately, the duchess’ image revamp never quite worked. “I think they thought it was more formal, more dignified, more royal,” royal correspondent Rebecca English told Express. “And to be fair, it is the name her family refers to her. Needless to say, though, they were pretty much ignored.”

Kate Middleton can never be spontaneous in public

Though the Cambridges are a bit more modern than the generations before them, they certainly have a different approach to royal life than the Sussexes did.

“[Kate] knows the importance of the institution and her role to play,” an insider told People. “She knows that being a member of the royal family is a bit like having a contract, you sign on the dotted line and you deliver Kate is in her element right now, she’s really stuck at it and persevered with what she believes in.”

As a result, the duchess is always very careful about how she expresses herself in public.

“She’s in a difficult situation because I think she’s not always able to be completely spontaneous in front of the cameras,” royal expert Emily Nash says in the documentary, Kate: The Making of a Modern Queen. “And you have to remember she’s perhaps one of the most scrutinized royals ever, because of the rise of smartphones and social media ‒ any tiny slip up or mistake she could make could go viral within seconds. And she must be really conscious of that and it must be a challenge. But when you see her interacting and engaging with people up close you really do get a feeling of warmth and genuine interest. She’s someone who does a lot of research, she reads up on everything to do with the charities she’s visiting and I think, to the people she’s engaging with, that must come off really well.”

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