A royal expert reveals the seven subtle yet wonderful ways Kate Middleton keeps the memory of Princess Diana alive for Prince George, Charlotte and Louis.
Although the two ladies didn't get a chance to meet, Kate Middleton ensures sweet nods to Princess Diana are peppered throughout family life. There's the 'really noisy' birthday tradition Diana started with Prince William and Harry that has been carried on by Kate, who also makes sure Charlotte replicates Diana's favourite fashion style. Although Princess Charlotte wasn't named after her grandmother directly, she's been given the middle name 'Diana' as a tribute, along with Princess Lilibet.
Former BBC royal correspondent, Jennie Bond, still keeps up with royal happenings, and has identified seven wonderful ways Kate Middleton keeps the memory of Princess Diana alive. Speaking to Fabulous, Jennie says of Kate: "She never knew Diana, but she has stated publicly that she is inspired by her, finding her an inspirational woman."
She adds "I think we have to remember that both William and Catherine are keen to keep Diana's memory very much alive, particularly for the children - the granny they never knew."
7 ways Kate Middleton keeps Princess Diana's memory alive
- Her engagement ring. It was a beautiful moment when Prince William revealed he'd proposed to Kate using his mother's iconic sapphire engagement ring in 2010. Now, Kate is rarely seen without the ring, and it stands as a constant reminder to her children that their grandmother once wore it too.
- Mirrored parenting. Kate's parenting style mirrors Diana's, and Diana certainly broke the mould when it came to how royal children are raised. Seeing videos of Diana with William and Harry at Alton Towers and the casual clothes she was fond of letting them wear, brought accessibility to the royal family like never before. Kate has made sure to carry that on with her own children.
- Diana's golden rule. Although their parenting is mirrored, Prince George, Charlotte and Louis are kept ‘grounded’ by Diana’s 'golden parenting rule' - the one thing that Kate Middleton swears by. This involves ensuring they prioritise charity work and are always aware of those less fortunate than themselves - just as Diana did herself and would've wanted.
- Her fashion sense. Kate always chooses the right moments to make fashion nods to Diana. When she presented Prince George to photographers for the first time after his birth, her blue polka dot dress was similar to the one Diana wore when presenting Prince William for the first time. Following Prince Louis' birth, the red Jenny Packham dress Kate wore for his first photoshoot was almost identical to the one Diana wore when presenting Harry for the first time in 1984.
- Marking milestones. It's been reported that Kate ensures her children are thinking of their grandmother during important events. According to The Sun, for Mother's Day 2021, Prince George wrote a note reading "Dear Granny Diana. Happy Mother's Day. I love you very much and think of you always. Sending lots of love from George." Princess Charlotte is said to have written "Dear Granny Diana. I am thinking of you on Mother's Day. I love you very much. Papa is missing you. Lots of love Charlotte."
- Christmas cards. Last year, The Wales' used a black and white photo as their annual Christmas card picture. As Diana was fond of black and white pictures of herself, this is thought to be a sweet nod to her memory.
- Taking the Princess of Wales title. According to Jennie Bond, Kate was reluctant to take the Princess of Wales title, but did so to honour and remember Diana. She says "I don't think she did consider for a moment being called Princess of Wales, though she was entitled to do so. I think Catherine thought long and hard about it before taking the title Princess of Wales. This is a new era, a new century, a new generation, and we have a new princess, a new Princess of Wales."
For more royal news, Prince William and Kate's parenting 'secret weapon' has been revealed. Meanwhile, Princess Charlotte is learning how to be the perfect princess and standby queen, and we look at the one strict rule the Wales children have to adhere to in public.
