Kate Middleton says she is 'still learning' how to be a royal

The royal revealed she also still gets nervous about public speaking

Kate Middleton
(Image credit: Jonathan Brady - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Kate Middleton revealed that she 'had to learn and she's still learning every day' how to be a member of the royal family during yesterday's royal engagement at the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust.


She may have been a working royal for over a decade, joining the family upon her marriage to Prince William back in 2011, but Kate Middleton has admitted she is 'still learning' the ins and outs of being a royal.

As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, Kate visited the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust yesterday, looking stunning in a pair of white trainers and a mustard yellow blazer, to see how the organization worked to match children with sports mentors and use exercise to improve mental health.

And while the Princess was all smiles and laughs, getting stuck in with all the fun and games the organization's founder Kelly Holmes had planned, she revealed that she sometimes struggles with certain aspects of royal engagements and is 'still learning' how to be a royal.

Kate Middleton

(Image credit: Kin Cheung - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

During a chat with People Magazine, Dame Kelly Holmes shared that Kate had told her about the aspects of royal life she is still adapting to. "She said she 'had to learn and she's still learning every day,'" she explained.

"Doing public speaking isn't a natural thing for lots of people, and she said she's still working that out, how to project. She humanized everything to show not everyone's perfect. It doesn't matter what you've got or perceived to have as an individual, you're still going to have those insecurities and need those learning tools that happen over life."

Kate and Holmes also reportedly spoke about Kate's three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, with Holmes sharing that Kate was keen to  share how each of her children is different to the others and that this means she is learning how to parent each distinct personality in a different way.

Holmes explained, "I asked her, 'You've got three children — do you see different traits in them?' And she said, 'Oh yes!' She said that's the thing — learning how to handle the different traits and different needs and abilities even with three young children."

Kate Middleton

(Image credit: DANIEL LEAL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Kate also met with health advocate Zara McDermott during Tuesday's engagement who works with the Princess' Shaping Us campaign. While Kate feels like she is still learning and carefully navigating her royal responsibilities, McDermott had nothing but praise to shower over Kate for her strong work ethic and natural charm.

She revealed to People, "She's one of those people who just loves to get stuck in. She's so personable and a real inspiration. She's a really strong, driven woman who really wants to make a difference … When you're in a room with her, it feels like she's one of everyone. She's really amazing at just slotting right in so beautifully to any setting that she's in. I've noticed that, and I'm kind of awe in that about her."

News writer

Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse is a news writer for Goodtoknow, specialising in family content. She began her freelance journalism career after graduating from Nottingham Trent University with an MA in Magazine Journalism, receiving an NCTJ diploma, and earning a First Class BA (Hons) in Journalism at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute. She has also worked with BBC Good Food and The Independent.