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Home / Lifestyle

Kate Middleton reveals how she struggled when she first joined the monarchy: ‘Still learning every day’

NZ Herald
17 May, 2023 02:06 AM3 mins to read

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Catherine, Princess of Wales smiles as she visits the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust on May 16, 2023 in Bath, England. Photo / Getty Images

Catherine, Princess of Wales smiles as she visits the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust on May 16, 2023 in Bath, England. Photo / Getty Images

Princess Kate got candid about her early days as a royal and the struggles she faced at the time during a visit to a youth charity today, according to Daily Mail.

The Princess of Wales spoke to a group of girls from a nearby school in Bristol and opened up about her experience joining the monarchy after losing a giant game of noughts and crosses to double Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes.

The Princess wore a bright yellow NZ$719 LK Bennett blazer with white trousers and matching white sneakers during the school visit.

Out of the camera’s eye, Kate answered some questions from the pupils of St Katherine’s School about her life, revealing to the girls that the thought of becoming a royal never crossed her mind until she fell in love with Prince William, according to one of the people present.

Kate meets with Dame Kelly Holmes and some of the young people that the charity supports as she visits the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust. Photo / Getty Images
Kate meets with Dame Kelly Holmes and some of the young people that the charity supports as she visits the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust. Photo / Getty Images
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Dame Kelly Holmes said: “They were just asking her about being a royal. Was it something that she wanted to do? And she said she had to learn. It’s a struggle to know that you can be accepted and fit in and you are still learning every day.

“Doing public speaking isn’t a natural thing for lots of people is it? And she was saying she is still working that out but has to project. So you know again, she humanised everything. Not everyone is perfect.”

Kate then headed to the Percy Community Centre in Bath to see the work of the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust. The charity was started by the athlete back in 2008 and focuses on using sports mentors to inspire the younger generations to find the skills and confidence to succeed in life.

The Princess of Wales speaks as she visits the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust. Photo / Getty Images
The Princess of Wales speaks as she visits the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust. Photo / Getty Images

A matter close to the Princess’s heart, Kate spoke to the young girls about her journey to royalty and her efforts to help her own children’s development amid a world-felt mental health crisis: a spike in anxiety and depression that seemingly correlates with the rise of social media and ever-present smartphones.

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Holmes hopes the visit will be the first of many and that the Princess’s Royal foundation will work closely with the trust in the future.

“She was lovely,’ the Dame said of the Princess. “She said: “ask me questions as well.’

“I asked her, I said you’ve got three children and do you see different traits in them? She said: “Oh yes,” and she said that’s the thing. It’s like learning how to handle the different traits and different needs and abilities even with three young children shows her the need to do it with masses of children.”

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