Kate Middleton’s Reaction to Cameras Is All Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Author Says
A royal author says Kate Middleton takes after Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip when it comes to cameras and media attention. She “never” talks about herself during interviews, in line with the Duke of Edinburgh’s advice on handling the royal spotlight.
Author says Kate Middleton ‘never’ talks about ‘herself’ or looks at cameras, following Prince Philip’s advice and Queen Elizabeth’s example
In his book, Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, author Gyles Brandreth explained how Kate’s indifference toward cameras and the attention that comes with being a British royal is in line with the Duke of Edinburgh and Queen Elizabeth.
“When Catherine Middleton came along as a potential bride for his grandson, Prince William, the Duke of Edinburgh was, he told me, ‘relieved to find her such a level-headed girl,’” Brandreth wrote (via Express).
The author continued, recalling the words of Philip, who died in April 2021 at the age of 99. “‘If you believe the attention is for you personally,’ he warned, ‘you’re going to end up in trouble. The attention is for your role, what you do, what you’re supporting.”
Philip’s advice didn’t stop there. “‘It isn’t for you as an individual. You are not a celebrity. You are representing the royal family. That’s all. Don’t look at the camera. The queen never looks at the camera. Never. Look at who you’re talking to. Look at what you’ve come to see.’”
From what he’s witnessed personally during walkabouts, Brandreth noted Kate, 41, “does not look at the camera. Whenever she is interviewed, Catherine talks about the matter in hand, never about herself.”
Prince William and Kate Middleton reportedly make it difficult for photographers to get ‘good images’ of them
Beyond not looking at cameras, Kate — and her husband, Prince William, — are said to purposely avoid cameras. A royal correspondent claimed in 2018 the pair don’t look at a “fixed point,” thereby “making it hard for photographers to get good images of them.”
The correspondent described younger royals as “control freaks” about their coverage at the time, adding that the now King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla were “far more relaxed.”
In January 2023, the four senior royals returned to work shortly after the release of Prince Harry’s Spare memoir, which includes numerous claims about them individually as well as the royal family and the Firm. Although, none of them commented publicly on the accusations made by the Duke of Sussex in the book.
A stylist says Kate Middleton’s trick for looking ‘stunning’ in photos is keeping her chin level
So Kate supposedly avoids cameras, even going out of her way to make it more challenging for photographers, but how does she manage to look “stunning” despite all of that? According to stylist and fashion commentator Miranda Holder, the key is how Kate carries herself.
“Well, the Duchess of Cambridge has had some media training. And I’m going to share a cheeky little style hack that she uses every single time, without fail,” Holder said on TikTok.
Kate, she explained, “has simply been trained to always keep her chin parallel to the ground. She doesn’t tilt it down, she doesn’t tilt it up, and that ensures a flattering photograph every single time.”
