Princess Kate reportedly worked hard to retain her "every girl" image

Kate Middleton
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Prince William and Princess Kate are undoubtedly the most talked-about couple in the world, stepping up to reassure and lead the nation over the past few troubling years.

In fact, Kate Middleton, now Princess of Wales, has been credited with keeping the royal family afloat amid multiple scandals, and has gone on to become a leader in the royal family.

"Catherine is just what these troubled royal times need," explained Patrick Jephson, a former worker for Princess Diana, last year. "It's no exaggeration that the Windsors' future lies in her hands."

One of the reasons behind Kate being dubbed the next 'royal saviour' by royal commentators is her relatability, with the Princess being an "every girl".

According to royal experts, this took work, with a lot of effort going in to retain her "every girl" image after joining the fold.

"[The Princess of Wales] worked closely with Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen and that helped her elevate her style game," explained Elizabeth Holmes.

"So, Kate was a commoner. Especially in the British collective thinking, it was really important she did not overstep. If she would have gone out wearing designer head to toe, bespoke from the start, it would have sent a message. But instead you just sort of kept going with what she was doing."

She continued: "There are a lot of pictures of Kate and William in their dating years, they dated for a very long time, the public was very familiar with her by the time they announced their engagement, and she stayed true to that. And I think that lent a sort of authenticity to her. I think there was certainly a group of people who thought she should up her game a little bit more and she did.

“But it was important for her to hold onto this every girl image and I think it was important for the monarchy as a whole. Because Diana had been the people’s princess, here was one of our people joining those ranks, and there is real power in us as viewers seeing somebody we can relate to.”

Well, it's safe to say that it certainly worked.  

Jenny Proudfoot
Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.