Kate Middleton is married to Princess Diana's eldest son, she wears Diana's favorite tiara and iconic sapphire engagement ring, and one day, she'll inherit Diana's title of Princess of Wales. But what would Diana make of the Duchess of Cambridge?
We think she would have been proud of her, although it's hard to think of how two women more dissimilar in lives, backgrounds, and experiences would get along. Diana was born an aristocrat, didn't finish high school, and her parents were divorced. She married into the royal family when she was just 20. Kate's journey has been completely different: She came from a loving family, graduated from college, and married Prince William at 29. Diana was a rebel; Kate is not. Despite all that, there is plenty about who Kate is and how she conducts herself that we think Diana would have loved.
Joining the royal family — and thriving in it — is no easy feat, and we have Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's experience, as well as that of Princess Diana herself, as proof that it doesn't always work out. Being a working royal and living in the spotlight 24/7 is tough and requires huge sacrifices that most of us would balk at, no matter how much luxury and privilege is involved.
And Kate's job as the wife of a future king is one of the toughest of all, second only to William's. The expectations are through the roof: Kate is expected to look elegant, express herself perfectly, not make a false move, raise equally perfect children, put up with crappy media coverage … oh, and singlehandedly modernize and humanize an ancient institution.
We don't envy her the job, but we are impressed at how Kate handles it all, balancing being a woman, mom, and wife with being a public figure who will only become more famous and have more responsibilities as time goes on. She's pretty grounded, and we think that that's just one of the things about her that Diana would have been proud of. Read on for the others.
She's a Great Mom
Like Diana, Kate has taken plenty of time off from work after each baby was born, to bond and adjust. For that, she was labeled lazy by the gutter press. She also recently canceled plans to join William at an event so she could stay home with the kids. Raising kids as normally as possible, with an appreciation for their royal roles, is her top priority. Diana would have approved, as she had a similar outlook. She often said that family was the most important thing in the world.
She's Striving for Her Kids To Be Normal
Kate and her three kids have been spotted shopping for food, Halloween costumes, and other items together, with the only difference between them and the general public being their security squad. Normalcy, and being in touch with life outside the palace, is a big priority for Kate (since it's how she grew up). And so it was for Diana, too — she would often take sons William and Harry to the Kensington McDonald's and wait in line just like everyone else. Diana would be proud that her parenting legacy lives on in Kate.
She Is Passing on Diana's Beloved Tradition
Prince George, future king of England, is learning ballet. So is his sister, Princess Charlotte. Diana was passionate about ballet, and trained for many years, and even did a special performance with the Royal Ballet as a surprise for Prince Charles. She would no doubt love that Kate is making sure that her grandkids, who take lessons as part of their school curriculum, are learning to love something that was near and dear to her heart.
She's Great With Kids
Not only is Kate an amazing mom, but she's great with kids in general, and they seem to gravitate toward her. There are many pictures and videos of Kate at official events, taking the time to sit and talk with children — not just talk at them, but have actual conversations, ask questions, and do projects with them. No wonder she's been dubbed the "Children's Princess." Diana was a preschool aide when she met Prince Charles, and had a natural way with kids. She would have been impressed with Kate's own Mary Poppins vibe.
She's Dedicated to Improving Children's Lives
Kate has launched a huge initiative meant to improve the education and well-being of British kids under the age of 5, making early childhood development a centerpiece of her work for years to come. Diana, who loved kids and was a big supporter of mental health for them and everyone, would find Kate's dedication to little ones something to be proud of.
She's Not Afraid of Heartbreaking Causes
As part of her focus on children, Kate has visited children's hospices, where kids with life-threatening or terminal medical cases live. Not everyone would be willing or able to face a child whose life may be ending, but Kate has enough compassion and love to do it. Diana would have been immensely proud of that, especially given her own work with AIDS patients and others with serious diseases, which gave solace and love to those who needed it most.
She Travels for Work With Her Kids
When she was young, Queen Elizabeth (along with Prince Philip) traveled extensively on official visits, sometimes for months at a time, leaving their four children behind. But modern times call for modern families, and Diana was the first royal ever to take her children with her while working overseas. Kate has followed suit. Prince George traveled to Australia when he was just 9 months old, and since then, Kate and William have brought their kids with them to other countries as well, including Canada and Germany. Diana would be proud of Kate for keeping her family together.
She Grounds William
Kate came from a normal and close middle-class family. When she and William got together, they would often spend school breaks and many holidays at the Middleton home in the country. And it became a second home for William. It was a different world from the one he came from, but the family dynamic was actually the kind that Diana wanted for her boys: nurturing and intimate. Diana would have loved the way that Kate's background and values have grounded William and created a blueprint for their family.
She's Got Great Style
Kate has come into her own as a royal in so many ways, and one of them is fashion. Her style may be largely conservative because of her status, but it's far from boring. She has updated royal classics like the coatdress and mixed in edgier modern pieces by both top designers and affordable labels. Diana may have been more daring in her clothing choices, but she would have been proud that Kate dresses well and appropriately, with the occasional showstopper to make her a fashion icon in her own right.
She Speaks Out About Mental Health
Along with William and Harry, Kate started the Heads Together initiative, which aims to encourage people to be vocal about their struggles with mental health. This was a cause that was important to Diana, who publicly admitted to having feelings of worthlessness and to grappling with both bulimia and self-harm. She would have been touched that Kate was carrying on her important work.
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
She Wears Diana's Jewels Well
Who wouldn't feel proud of a family member using beloved sparkly heirlooms they'd left behind? Kate wears Diana's go-to tiara, the Cambridge Lover's Knot, and she has a collection of Diana's jewels, from earrings to necklaces, that she keeps on rotation, wearing them often. We think Diana would have loved to see that, especially because Kate handles herself so beautifully at official functions and on royal outings.
She Stood Up to the Press
Like the royal family in general, Kate's usual strategy for dealing with gutter press is to say nothing and focus on other things. But when photographers crossed the line in 2012, photographing her topless while hanging out at a private French villa, Kate sued the French magazine that published the shots. Five years later, she was awarded $200,000 in damages. Diana would have high-fived her for her courage and determination to see the case through, and make invasive media pay, big time.
She Has Her Own Interests
Diana once said that Prince Charles invited her to sit and watch him work at Buckingham Palace, to which she rolled her eyes and said, "No, thanks." So she likely would have appreciated Kate's many interests of her own, aside from her life with William (we dare William to try his dad's corny move on Kate). She's an accomplished photographer, she loves the outdoors, and she excels at sports.
She Loves the Arts
Diana played the piano, practiced ballet, and had many friends in the arts. So she would have been proud to know that Kate holds those things in high esteem as well. Kate graduated from university with an art history degree, is a good photographer who takes beautiful pictures of her family, regularly attends the theater, and is the royal patron for several museums.
She Adores Animals
The Duchess of Cambridge is not just great with kids. She also loves animals. Having grown up with several pets, she owns a dog that her brother gave her and has gotten her kids a hamster as well. Whenever she's on official duty and there are animals involved, fuggedaboutit. Kate has to interact with them or she'll explode. How can anyone not be proud of an animal lover?
She's Down-to-Earth
Even though her parents seem to be financially comfortable, Kate is not a blue blood, and accordingly, she doesn't seem to have an ounce of snobbishness. She treats people well and is not afraid to get her hands dirty. At royal engagements, she's been known to help herd pigs at a farm and even talked about cleaning chicken coops (she and the kids raise chickens at Anmer Hall, the family's country estate). We have the feeling that Diana, who thought that the royal family needed to be less stuffy, would have loved that.
She Has a Great Sense of Humor
Kate is forever laughing — and the proof is in the many pictures where she's showing off her pearly whites and throwing her head back in hysterics. She just seems like a happy person all around and judging from pictures, she is married to someone who makes her guffaw. Diana, who was a prankster and herself had a famous sense of humor, would have laughed right along with Kate.
She Encourages a Healthy Lifestyle
Given Diana's struggles with bulimia and eventual recovery, her advocacy for mental health, and her own habit of regular exercise, we think it's fair to say that she would have been mightily impressed by how fit and active Kate is. Kate loves working out and being in nature, hiking, sailing, and doing other sporty activities, and Diana would have been right there with her.
She Doesn't Make Waves in the Royal Family
Diana was a rebel through and through, something that no one who watched her as a shy, young blushing bride would have guessed about her, honestly. Time and again, she bucked constrictive royal family fashion rules, chucked outdated traditions, and gave candid interviews about her crumbling marriage. Kate does none of that. So why would Diana be proud of the way she conducts herself, following all the rules and keeping a stiff upper lip? Well, consider that her son will one day be king and he has little real choice about that, unless he wants to blow up the monarchy. So he needs a steady partner who is a great mom, represents him well, and basically stays in her lane while making few visible changes (for now, anyway).
She's Always Game
If Diana's special gift was connecting with people on a deeply emotional level, Kate's is being relatable by being up for just about anything. On official outings, she's been known to lace up some sneakers and get in on a race, pick up a racket or volleyball and swing away, kick soccer balls, and jump and play. Her energy and joy at being active are addictive, and we think Diana would have loved Kate's way of connecting with people.
