As a senior royal, Catherine, Princess of Wales, has a lengthy list of memorable public appearances to her name. Kate's ability to breeze in, impeccably dressed, and exude charm can almost lull us into the belief that her talents are innate. However, the princess has put in plenty of time and practice to get the hang of her royal role. During the 2016 documentary "The Queen at Ninety" (seemingly also called "Our Queen at Ninety"), Kate was candid about one skill she was still working on at the time.
"I think there is a real art to walkabouts. Everyone teases me in the family that I spend far too long chatting, so I think I've still got to learn a little bit more, and to pick up a few more tips, I suppose," Kate admitted.
Royal walkabouts are a famous tradition that's surprisingly recent in one thousand-plus years of royal history. Queen Elizabeth II's parents got things rolling, and Elizabeth created the playbook for the meet and greet procedure we're familiar with today. Kate was fortunate to have Elizabeth's tutelage, and as she's become more confident in her skills, the princess has branched out and put her own spin on walkabouts.
In 1970, it was even surprising to expect royals to do something as simple as shake hands with the crowd. In contrast, Kate's broken royal rules by taking selfies, and talking on fans' phones. She even initiated an impromptu walkabout when one young child enthusiastically beckoned. Even as Kate is mindful of limiting the overall time per person, the princess ensures each interaction is meaningful.
Read more: The Stunning Transformation Of Kate Middleton
Walkabouts Are Challenging For A Lot Of Royals
Since Catherine, Princess of Wales, married into the royal family, one might assume that royal walkabouts might be more challenging for her. However, the good-natured ribbing Kate received about her tendency for long conversation could have been a sign of Kate's deeper bond with her in-laws. Even lifelong royals have had their own struggles with walkabouts. As a kid, King Charles III had the opposite problem when compared to Kate: he worried about not having enough conversational material. "The horror of following along ... and thinking how are you ever going to know what to say," Charles remarked in "The Queen at Ninety," as he recalled a crowd at a circus. Fortunately, he also noted that with observation and practice, he became more comfortable.
His sister, Anne, Princess Royal, hasn't been a fan of the changing royal protocol with walkabouts. Although many royals are more lax about shaking hands with their well-wishers, Anne still hasn't warmed to this tactile approach. "It's become a shaking hands exercise rather than a walkabout," Anne said in HBO's "Queen of the World" documentary (per People). In addition, she prefers simple conversation, rather than photo requests.
On the other hand, Queen Camilla and Kate have a few things in common, and one of them is that they've both made the error of talking too long at a walkabout. In 2022, Charles became frustrated when Camilla's lengthy conversation caused the couple get separated. "Can we try and get her back again? Please," Charles entreated (via Irish Independent). "We need to go. I was trying to wait for her but she goes on."
Read the original article on The List.
