Royal experts open up about the change in Princess Kate's "royal persona"

The Wales family is undoubtedly the most talked about in the world, with the family of five returning to the spotlight this summer. The Princess of Wales has been recovering privately in Windsor following her cancer diagnosis earlier this year, making her return to public life at June’s Trooping the Colour parade.

The Princess of Wales' return has been widely celebrated, with the 42-year-old mother of three widely considered the most popular member of the fold.

"William and Kate, far and away the most beloved members of the royal family, really are the pillars on which the future of the monarchy rests," royal expert Christopher Andersen told Fox News Digital recently. And amid the past few turbulent years for the monarchy, Princess Kate in particular has been credited for keeping the royal family afloat.

Royal experts have opened up about the popularity of Princess Kate this month, noting the shift in her "royal persona" from her early dates on the scene to her ranking as most beloved family member. This, experts revealed on new Channel 5 documentary, Kate: A Queen for the Future, is down to her playful and relatable personality, moving away from her more reserved nature and embracing her fun side in public.

"She is clearly the type of person that understands tradition and modernity can go hand in hand," explained journalist Afua Hagan in the documentary. "She's very likeable. She's very charming. She's also very sporty."

Noting the playful shift in Princess Kate's personality, Hagan continued: "She isn't afraid to get stuck in. She doesn't mind if she looks a bit silly. She doesn't mind if perhaps she doesn't do things perfectly. What really, really struck me, is how much time [the Princess of Wales] especially took when she was talking to the kids. That's a very special quality to have to be able to get down to kids level, have a chat with them, connect and bond with them."

This sentiment was echoed by royal editor Robert Jobson, who stated: "If she's not the heartbeat of the family, I don't know who is."

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