She is one of the most famous women on the planet. We see so many photos and video clips of her, it almost feels like we know her personally.
Yet the Princess of Wales manages to remain an enigma who has become adept at revealing next to nothing about herself. That’s according to biographer Catherine Mayer, author of Divide and Rule, a new book about the royals.
She says “hiding in plain sight” is Catherine’s way of dealing with her incredible fame. While she occasionally gives away snippets of information about herself, such as how much she enjoys sports and being outside in nature, on the whole we don’t know anything about her likes and dislikes, how she spends her spare time, what book she’s reading or TV show she’s watching.
Prepared for her role
Royals are not supposed to share opinions that could be considered political, and Catherine Mayer says the Princess of Wales worked out early on in royal life how to dodge questions that could give away her preferences, however innocuous.
The former London bureau chief for Time magazine recalls meeting Catherine, now 44, at a Buckingham Palace reception seven months after her marriage to Prince William in 2011, and making what she thought was harmless small talk about the paintings hanging in the room. When she asked the then-Duchess of Cambridge, who has a degree in art history, which ones appealed to her, the new royal deflected the question.
“She refused to be drawn,” recalls Catherine Mayer.
“She had not yet familiarised herself with the royal collection, she said. What kinds of art interested her most? Her answer – that she had ‘varied tastes’ – discouraged further inquiries.”
Keeping her life somewhat private
At another meeting, when Prince George was a baby, the new mum seemed a little more comfortable talking about her son, but was still generally guarded.
Catherine Mayer believes the princess becoming “remote and unknowable” is a self-preservation strategy. Keeping her home life private and her personality under wraps is a way of being in control when she’s under a microscope so much of the time. She has created a public persona of someone who is relatable, because she didn’t grow up royal, but who has slotted with apparent ease into a high-profile role.
“Beside the girl-next-door image is a woman of considerable power and control, who has played the royal game more adroitly than most,” says Catherine.
Her growth over the years
In the past, the princess’ “constructed persona” has led to criticism. In the early days of her relationship with, and then marriage to, William, 44, she was described as boring, drab and work-shy.
Those descriptions no longer apply – her workload has increased hugely (apart from when she was having cancer treatment), and she’s recognised as one of the most polished and stylish women in the world. Even that has earned her flak.
Over the years, even those who once dismissed Catherine have accepted she is giving The Firm a much-needed boost thanks to being seen as accessible, warm and down-to-earth.
She’s also successfully using her position to spread powerful messages, such as the importance the early years of life play in a child’s development. Her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood is clearly a major passion, as is being a mum herself.
The woman behind the princess
Royal observers say the times we see Catherine being most obviously her natural self are when she’s with children, either her own or those she interacts with, on official engagements. The images she releases with Prince George, 13, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, eight, show the authentic joy she gets from motherhood.
But releasing curated shots of the children is also a way to carefully control the narrative around her and her family. As well as protecting the children from the media circus, sharing just enough to keep paparazzi photographers at bay means they can present the image they want to the world.
Royal writers say it is interesting that very little gossip about Catherine and her family has ever been leaked. Their friends and family don’t talk, probably out of respect, but maybe also out of fear of the consequences.
There have been some very rare glimpses of the uncensored Catherine. Mike Tindall, who is married to William’s cousin Zara, made headlines when he revealed on a podcast that Catherine is “uber competitive” in drinking game beer pong. Catherine, who was at the recording along with William, coyly denied it. She has since revealed that, due to having had cancer, she very rarely drinks now.
Through Harry’s eyes
Some rather negative claims about her were made by her brother-in-law Prince Harry in his memoir Spare. While Harry, 41, initially saw his brother’s wife as the sister he’d always wanted, the book goes on to paint her as brittle, impervious to the Duchess of Sussex’s charm and “on edge” over being compared to Meghan, 44.
Harry described Catherine gripping her seat so tightly that her fingers turned white as she demanded an apology from Meghan for calling a moment of forgetfulness “baby brain”.
Catherine told Meghan, “We’re not close enough for you to talk about my hormones,” according to Harry.
He also recounted how Catherine was appalled when Meghan asked to borrow her lip gloss.
The departure of the Sussexes from royal life in 2020 was a good thing for Catherine, say royal commentators, because she no longer must worry about comparisons with her sister-in-law. Her focus can be on doing the very public job she took on when she married William, while joining forces with her husband to give their children a happy and normal an upbringing as possible.
Growing into the role
Fifteen years after her marriage, she’s a lot more relaxed and confident than the nervous bride who must have wondered what she was letting herself in for. She once struggled to give speeches, and while it’s still not her favourite activity, she’s much better at it now.
She also seems more comfortable with displays of affection. A video clip of her giving William a pat on the bottom as they walked up the red carpet at the 2023 Baftas went viral.
She now has the kind of soft power politicians dream of and it doesn’t matter if some still find her bland – the criticism slides off her.
Royal writer Victoria Murphy says, “She has this approach which is very similar to the one Queen Elizabeth had. We feel we know her a bit, that we’ve seen the real her, but she’s still a bit of an enigma.”
Catherine through the years
Private beginnings:
Before joining the royal family, Catherine Middleton leads a relatively private life. She forms a relationship with William and navigates growing public attention.
Marriage to William:
Catherine marries her prince at Westminster Abbey, instantly becoming the Duchess of Cambridge, and captures hearts with her poise and relatability.
Early days:
Catherine faces intense scrutiny and public expectations, and often appears reserved as she builds her role behind the scenes.
Motherhood:
Becoming a mum to George, Charlotte and Louis reveals a softer public image, with her warmthand hands-on parenting style.
Early childhood focus:
Catherine carves out a meaningful royal path through her commitment to early childhood development, her passionate research and her thoughtful advocacy for children’s wellbeing and future outcomes.
Illness & recovery:
During a period of illness, the Princess of Wales steps back from public duties to prioritise her health and family, before emerging with a renewed perspective and strength.
The confident future Queen:
Today, Catherine appears to balance family and duty with ease, embracing her future role with purpose and confidence.
