It can be really hard entering a new family and it must be even harder when that family is the Royal Family. There are many things that you can no longer do and so many things you now have to do and that can be really overwhelming.
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Throughout recent history, we have seen several 'commoners' enter The Firm and as such embrace a steep learning curve. One of those people is Kate Middleton who is now known as the Princess of Wales. When she met Prince William in 2001, she didn't come from a royal background and through many tribulations, she had to learn how to become the perfect princess.
Thankfully, several reports have shown that Middleton wasn't alone on the journey and that senior members of the family, like Prince Philip, offered crucial advice. It also seems like Queen Elizabeth herself helped Middleton to adapt to life as a royal.
Queen Elizabeth reportedly taught Kate the rules
Those who are born into the Royal Family have a head start compared to those who marry into the family. Indeed, if you are born into a royal family from day one you are taught all the customs and traditions that come with being a royal. Whereas if you are marrying into the family and have no royal background, you are starting from scratch and you have to unlearn so many aspects of your previous life.
It would seem that before Kate Middleton married Prince William in 2011, the Queen took it upon herself to teach Kate these rules and customs. According to Ashley Pearson in the documentary Kate Middleton: Working Class to Windsor these ‘lessons’ were to teach Kate ‘how to be a royal wife’ while ‘preserving her modesty’.
In the documentary journalist Ashley Pearson explained:
From the beginning, Kate Middleton had a great deal of support from the Royal Family which was really instructed by the Queen
This was to make sure she knew as much as she could possibly know and what to do in every situation – bearing in mind, of course, that she didn’t grow up in this world.
What happened during the Queen's lessons
During these lessons, the Queen allegedly taught Kate things you wouldn’t think need to be taught but for someone entering such an influential and important role, they are needed.
According to Ashley Pearson:
There were things like learning how to get out of a carriage without exposing your modesty and learning how to bend down to get flowers from a young girl without exposing your modesty.
But she also taught her about royal etiquette such as how to curtsy and which people to curtsy for and who not to. She was also taught which forks to use and when.
Ashley Pearson said:
She was actually given lessons on how to be a royal wife.
Prince William was also given ‘private royal lessons’ when he was a young boy attending Eton College, where he would spend afternoon tea with the Queen and she prepped him for his future as an adult royal and one day King.
Kate Middleton is now considered a master at protocol
It seems like the reported lessons from Queen Elizabeth and advice from Prince Philip ended up working out as the Princess of Wales is now considered by many to be an absolute master at following protocol.
In summer 2023 a clip from an event she attended alongside Princess Anne in 2022 resurfaced. In it, the then Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Anne exited the same car. However, the Duchess was on the side of the sidewalk which placed her directly by the entrance. Instead of moving ahead, the Duchess stood still and allowed Princess Anne to walk around the car. Only when Anne was ahead did Kate follow, thus respecting the order of importance.
This isn't the only time Kate Middleton demonstrated such subtle understanding of protocol and it seems like she is passing down this knowledge to her children - especially Princess Charlotte who is always keeping her brothers in check during royal events.
Read more:
⋙ Kate Middleton: A look back at her style evolution in 37 images
⋙ Prince Harry: A body language expert claims to know how the royal really feels about Kate Middleton
Sources:
Cosmopolitan: Everything Kate Middleton learned from the Queen during her secret 'Princess lessons'
Express: Princess Kate hailed as 'master of royal protocol' in sweet unearthed video clip with Anne
