Is there anything the Princess of Wales can’t do? She’s been recognised as the action woman of the royal family since marrying Prince William 14 years ago, but she still continues to surprise and impress with her physical prowess and quiet confidence.
In the latest example of Her Royal Highness being totally unfazed by something most of us would find extremely challenging, Kate was seen walking backwards down a steep flight of steps in 10cm stiletto heels.
A video of her graceful descent after peering into the cockpit of a fighter jet during a visit to an air force base went viral, with people commenting about how they were in awe of her ability
to pull off a tricky manoeuvre with such ease.
Mastering elegance, even in heels
“In reverse, in heels and still a masterclass in elegance,” wrote one royal fan.
The fact that mum-of-three Kate, 43, could manage the feat so effortlessly shouldn’t come as a shock, given that in the past she’s been photographed playing a number of sports – including hockey, football and netball – in towering heels during official visits. She even managed to whack a cricket ball while wearing heels during a visit to Christchurch in 2014.
But following her cancer diagnosis and gruelling chemotherapy last year, her engagements this year have tended to be a lot more sedate and not posed any physical challenges. A gentle hike in the Lake District with a group of Scouts has been the most active thing she’s done, which is a contrast to the abseiling and BMX bike-riding she’s tackled in the past. Royal commentator Ingrid Seward says Kate’s priorities have changed.
Listening to her body
“She’s listening to her body. She’s absolutely got to be strict with herself and say, ‘No, I can’t do this.’”
And the latest outpouring of praise will have helped her confidence as she tries to get back to a normal life.
“When you’re in the public eye, and your every move is analysed and commented on, it’s a nice boost to do something that gets such positive feedback,” says a palace insider.
“Even if it’s just something like climbing stairs.”
Kate also impressed on another engagement when she managed to pull her long locks into a bun without using a hair tie. Before trying her hand at fabric painting during a visit to a mill, she effortlessly tied her hair out of the way in a knot at the back of her head.
A master of adaptability
“Not a strand out of place – she’s a magician,” commented one person.
Adapting to different situations is something all royals have to do while carrying out official engagements. The visits are planned with military precision and the royals are prepped in detail about what they’ll be expected to do, but sometimes things don’t quite go according to plan and they have to think on their feet.
Whether it’s equipment failing or members of the public trying to sneak a hug – which is completely against protocol – they have to respond appropriately, something Kate excels at. For example, on a visit to Scotland in May to launch a new warship, she looked momentarily panicked when a pipe structure she’d just built as part of a competition started to collapse. But she recovered quickly and was able to laugh at the mishap.
Learning from the Queen
Taking things in her stride is part of her nature, but it’s something she learned from watching the late Queen. Elizabeth II was an expert at keeping calm and carrying on when things went wrong, even when they had the potential to be dangerous. For example, when a teenager fired blanks while she was riding in the Trooping the Colour parade in 1981, she comforted her horse and rode on. And she barely flinched when pelted with an egg during a trip to New Zealand in 1986, later joking, “I prefer my New Zealand eggs for breakfast.”
The Queen was also tolerant when everyday hiccups happened and rather relished it when proceedings didn’t quite go to plan, according to one of her aides.
Samantha Cohen says, “The Queen had no ego. She was so comfortable in herself, yet she loved it when things went wrong – if a cake was not cutting or a plaque didn’t unveil. Because everything was so perfectly organised, it spiced up her life when things went wrong.”
