15 Reasons Why People Believe Kate Is A Better Princess Than Diana
They both ended up marrying princes, but commoner Catherine Elizabeth Middleton entered the public arena in a more assured way unlike Lady Diana Spencer. An overwhelmed kindergarten assistant, from an aristocratic household, Di was all of 19 when she became betrothed to the Prince of Wales, 13 years her senior. While Kate, five months older than Prince William, stood confident and poised with the appearance of one groomed for royal duty, despite her middle-class background. However, British Vogue's editor-in-chief, Alexandra Shulman feels the difference between the two royal girls comes down to celebrity. “Diana was more interested in that high-voltage celebrity, that was something she really embraced. The Duchess of Cambridge is prepared to do her bit, but it's not one of the things she most cares about,” Shulman says.
All said, there are many who claim Kate's success lies in the security of her knowledge of her husband's affections. Lady D's marriage was not happy one; she did not get along well with her husband or in his social circles. Appearances and reality drifted too far apart in her life. Reportedly, she got “prickly” and “bored” in their presence. She fenced herself with celebrity friends and aristocracy but felt isolated in her very public role. In contrast, Kate won over the “Throne Rangers” (as Prince William's friends call themselves) and the duo embraced marriage and its subsequent challenges as a team. Here are 15 reasons why people believe Kate is a better princess than Diana.
15 Most People Find Kate And Prince William Acting More As A Team Than Charles And Diana Ever Did
Likening Prince William's wife Catherine to his mother has always been a favoured topic among followers but according to the late Princess Diana's trusted biographer, her daughter-in-law is very different. Andrew Morton, who penned the most famous book ever written about the Lady, Diana: Her True Story in 1992, says: “She [Kate] is very different. Her and Prince William act more as a team (than Charles and Diana) and she married into the royal family a decade older than Diana did.” He adds: “She [Diana] was also seen by [Prince] Charles as competition rather than as part of a team, as William and Catherine have built.” The chemistry between the royal duo is proof enough and it is definitely one of the reasons why many favour the present Duchess of Cambridge over Diana.
14 Moreover, The Writer Of Diana: Her True Story, Andrew Morton, Feels That Kate Is Better At Handling The Spotlight
It is not without reasons that many of her followers feel that “Kate is better at handling the spotlight” than her late mother-in-law. Author Andrew Morton feels: “Diana… proved unable to handle spotlight and the isolation.” Despite being so beautiful, Diana often came across as shy, lacking the confidence that comes with life experience. Prince Charles and Diana didn't know each other very well when they appeared for their engagement interview - the Lady looked nervous and deferred to Charles when asked questions. The couple also appeared too sedate to be madly in love. Kate and William, on the other hand, looked extremely at ease during their interview and the fact that Kate's a natural conversationalist only added to their charm.
13 The Royal Author Also Claims That Because Kate Had A Happier Childhood, She Is Finer At Tackling Royalty
According to the Royal author: “Catherine comes from a happy background - she has a competitive sister - and she has parents who are very supportive.” The Duchess of Cambridge is close to her parents Carole and Michael Middleton, who are still together and have been married for over 31 years. Since Kate grew up with her parents' healthy relationship as a model, she is better equipped with tackling the ups and downs of life. Diana, on the other hand, had an unstable and unhappy childhood with her mother, Frances Shand Kydd, leaving the family home after divorcing her father, Earl Spencer, when the princess was very young. Divorce in 1960s' England was uncommon and it may have had a profound effect on Diana, making her alienated from her surroundings.
12 Unlike The Late Princess Diana, Kate Does Not Come From A Royal Background And People Think Her Middle-Class Roots Make Her More Grounded
The Spencers' ancestry and family money date back to the 15th century. Diana's childhood home was yards away from Queen Elizabeth II's Sandringham estate, not to mention the butlers and nannies who were at her beck and call round the clock. Her father was a viscount, who served the queen as the horse stable master and according to the Herald Sun, the two families were friendly enough for Diana's future brothers-in-law (Prince Edward and Prince Andrew) to be occasionally coming for the dip in the Spencer pool. Kate's family, in contrast, is decidedly middle-class and title-less. Her parents worked together as a team to build their fortune. They started Party Pieces - a mail-order party supply company, that made them millionaires, which still is nothing in comparison to the royal treasury and perhaps that is why Kate has remained so grounded till date.
11 People Find Her More Relatable As A Contemporary Woman Who Does Not Swear By The Fragile Princess Model
Diana was fabulous, no doubt about it - but Kate has, in her own way, managed to update the fragile princess model by appearing to be confident enough to get on with life even without her prince. She's never seemed needy or needing to be saved - a feature that customarily comes along with the princess tag. As Andrew Morton puts it: “There's not the sense of drama going on as there was with Diana.” She is warm and approachable and doesn't shy away from drinking local beer, competing in a rowing race or taking on a glass of strong liquor like the one she was offered in Poland. Even in her fashion choices, she keeps it real by opting for “middle of the road glamour” as Mr Morton rightly puts it.
10 She Also Comes Across As A Person Who Makes Her Own Decisions
She may not be aware of her huge influence on ordinary women but her actions and choices are one of the main reasons for her enormous and stable popularity. Even though in her first television interview after the announcement of her engagement to Prince William, she had admitted: “I don't know the ropes really,” time has proven otherwise. Right from her choice of bridesmaids to her choice of where to go to adjust to new motherhood (her parents' home and not one of the royal residences), she has been firm on her choices. She has also been confident enough to assert that she would not spend every Christmas with the Royal Family at Sandringham as has been the tradition - and this clearly something Diana had not been able to achieve.
9 What Most People Find Appealing In Kate Is The Fact That She Isn't Bothered By Ideas of "Should Or Shouldn't Be"
This is perhaps one of Kate's most admirable qualities - she doesn't flex to appease critics. Despite being labelled as a “style disaster” time and again, the Duchess has remained true to her chosen, albeit conservative taste. And, she hasn't deemed it necessary to forsake her 80s style eye-lining either, or for the matter given up on recycling her clothes! If anything, Kate's staunch insistence on dressing according to how she feels comfortable is powerfully symbolic of her independent nature. If she's going to be judged, she is definitely not a woman who would let it be for the quality of her pins or her exorbitant clothes. In fact, the dress she wore for her first official portrait with baby Prince George cost just $60! That sure says a lot about the woman's personality.
8 She Stands In Queues And Does Her Own Supermarket Shopping And Isn't Afraid To Make It To Front Page While Doing So
Remember the time when she was photographed in a $50 polka dot number from the popular online store ASOS? Well, that's Kate for you. Here's a duchess who stands in queues, does her own supermarket shopping, recycles (not just clothes, the glorious vintage pram at Princess Charlotte's Christening was also her doing), does her own make-up and doesn't mind being seen in public even when she isn't red-carpet ready. She is normal enough to pop out for a few necessities with her hair chucked away in a pony just like any of us. Despite being royalty, she is as unremarkable as the woman next door unlike Lady D, who wouldn't be caught looking like that even in our dreams! And that's what makes Kate so endearing to her followers.
7 Her Followers Also Love How She Is Making Rigid Traditions Move Forward
When marrying into the royal family, she was older and more accomplished than Princess D was. Now wonder in one royal generation, Catherine seems to have turned the notions on what to and what not to expect from a princess. Where the newly-wed Diana came across as someone very much governed by Palace expectations that included traditional ideas on the kind of life a respectable woman should lead (subservient, consorting and so on), Kate is robust enough to be living in the present and by no means does she disrespect the past in doing so. She has proved that she's on equal footing with her husband, and according to Daily Mail, she maintains: “He's lucky to be going out with me.” Diana, on the other hand, used to reportedly wonder: “If I am lucky enough to be the Princess of Wales.”
6 The Duchess Can Also Play Cricket
The Duchess of Cambridge was more than happy to show off her sporty side as she played cricket during the second engagement of the official royal tour to India - and she did so in a dress and wedges! The flowy dress by Indian designer Anita Dongre could do nothing to deter her prowess but she did trade her heels for a wedge style. While the choice may still appear uncomfortable, Kate looked absolutely at ease during the charity match held at the famous Oval Maidan cricket ground in Mumbai. She played around cones with the slum children before she hit the field with cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar. And, while Prince William was caught by one of the kids during the match, Kate managed to bath the first ball bowled by Tendulkar!
5 Unlike Lady Diana Who Failed Her O Level, Kate Went To University - Another Reason Why People Feel She Makes A Better Princess
Lady D was never much of a student - she failed her O-level exams twice! And, that's not all. She dropped out of boarding school at the age of 16 and was sent to Switzerland to finish her education but that didn't work out either because she ended up lasting there only for a couple of months. Kate, on the contrary, excelled in her studies in boarding school, passing 11 GCSEs and three A-level exams. In 2001, she became a student at the University of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland and she moved to St. Salvator's Hall - the same dormitory as Prince William of Wales! Kate and the Prince shared several classes in their course schedule as well and they soon became friends. But, romance of course, blossomed much later.
4 What More, Before Marrying Prince William, She Also Worked For A Clothing Chain
She is not just better educated with A levels and a degree in history of art under her belt, Kate also happens to be the first British princess with a university degree, not to mention a short career. She worked as an accessory buyer for the clothing chain Jigsaw, which she left a year later to pursue a career in photography. Back then, a close friend of the Duchess had revealed to the Evening Standard: “She really wants to move [from Jigsaw] and is seriously thinking of a career in photography. She loves cameras and has a great eye. She has already started putting an exhibition of her together.” No wonder, the prince decided to bypass aristocracy and settle for a smart girl from a working-class background instead!
3 She Has Also Proved Herself Tougher When Dealing With Criticism
She has been called the “Duchess of Drab”, “no match for stylish Di” and even “uneventful” but Catherine is not one to let criticisms bring her down. And if she has demonstrated anything in all these years since hitting the public radar, it's the fact that she is made of tougher stuff than we imagine. Far from living in the shadow of Diana, who was often hailed as the “people's princess” she has proved that is as good a bet for the monarchy if not better. Even when she and the prince were going through a rough patch, she kept her head up as she faced scrutiny from the least forgiving of critics and paparazzi but not for once did she let the negativity get the better of her.
2 There Are Many Who Would Vouch For Kate As A Better Ambassador
In contrast to her late mother-in-law, many feel commoner Kate has a better chance of standing up to the intense pressure of royalty than the former Princess of Wales. She comes across as someone who is awfully seasoned, both in her dealings with the not uncomplicated royal family and the unforgiving paparazzi. She had been with Prince William for almost eight years before deciding to tie the knot, which obviously made her more prepared for the royal life. And the fact that she isn't a blue blood makes for a more open-minded and sociable ambassador as she has proven over time. “Middle class Kate is just what The Firm needs,” royal biographer Penny Junior had written for the Daily Mail newspaper and he couldn't have been more on point.
1 The Media Also Feels That Kate Is "The Good News Girl"
Junk media may be unhappy with her because there isn't much salacious rubbish to write about Kate and even if there is, none of that seem to stick anyway. She seems to do just fine on her own without any outside help. She is the royal superstar and as British magazine Hello rightly puts it, she is a “common girl” transformed into a “perfect princess”. “Kate is our good news girl,” the magazine wrote expressing how apt she is for the country. And needless to say, there are many who feel the same way. “I wouldn't be surprised if Kate Middleton's legacy is bigger than the legacy of the Olympics, both domestically and internationally,” Dr Harold Goodwin, a professor of tourism at the University of Leeds, told The Times. She is indeed the girl for good news in all the precise areas where Diana failed to meet expectations.
