The Princess of Wales is one of the most talked-about women in the world. And since returning to duty in 2025, she has firmly re-established herself as one of the leaders of the Mountbatten-Windsors.
In fact, from her attendance at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships to her appearance at Trooping the Colour, the mother of three has been front and centre this summer.
As the future Queen continues to scale up her public appearances, royal experts have weighed in on her approach to public duty, and her rule for navigating fame. This, according to the insiders, was inspired by her royal mentor, with the Princess of Wales given personal training by the late Duke of Edinburgh.
Gyles Brandreth’s biography, Philip: The Final Portrait, explores the advice that Prince Philip once shared with Kate Middleton about carrying herself in the public eye. And according to Brandreth, via HELLO!, it involves one golden rule – never looking at the camera, and focusing instead on the people you are interacting with.
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“If you believe the attention is for you personally, you’re going to end up in trouble,” the Duke of Edinburgh reportedly advised the now Princess of Wales, per Brandreth.
“The attention is for your role, what you do, what you’re supporting. It isn’t for you as an individual. You are not a celebrity. You are representing the Royal Family. That’s all.”
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This is something that Princess Kate has certainly put into practice, with the future Queen still following Prince Philip’s rule to this day.
“She does not look at the camera,” Brandreth recalled, having personally attended official events with the Princess of Wales. “Whenever she is interviewed, Catherine talks about the matter in hand, never about herself.”
Brandreth went on to add that Prince Philip had been “relieved” with Princess Kate’s “level-headed” nature, with the Duke of Edinburgh said to have been previously concerned about the younger Mountbatten-Winsdors’ relationship with fame. And in the years since, Princess Kate is known to have shared a sweet bond with the late Duke of Edinburgh.
We will continue to update this story.