Kate Middleton Appearances We Can't Stop Talking About
It seems like only yesterday that Kate Middleton said "I do" to Prince William, but she's been on quite a journey. From her public debut in 2010 to her final Christmas service before her cancer diagnosis, here are some big Princess Kate moments royal fans can't stop talking about.
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00:00It seems like only yesterday that Kate Middleton said,
00:03"'I do' to Prince William." But she's been on quite a journey. From her public debut in 2010
00:08to her final Christmas service before her cancer diagnosis, here are some big Princess Kate moments
00:13royal fans can't stop talking about. When Princess Catherine first made her mark on
00:18the royal landscape, she did so in her quintessentially low-key manner. The year was
00:222010, and the future princess was but a humble St. Andrews graduate. Marking her first public
00:27appearance since her engagement to Prince William, she appeared at a charity event for
00:31the Teenage Cancer Trust with her then-fiancé. For the occasion, she donned a simple pleated
00:36white dress and blazer combo. Notably, she appeared with nary a hair out of place,
00:40setting the template for the pristine yet understated looks that became her staple
00:44once she entered the House of Windsor. The event was a seminal one for Catherine,
00:48an opportunity for her to learn royal etiquette and protocol. Moreover,
00:51her toned-down, approachable demeanor was a reflection of what was to come,
00:55with the understated aesthetic becoming Catherine's staple.
00:58Following Princess Catherine and Prince William's fan-favorite royal wedding in the spring of 2011,
01:03the former began her first official royal duties as the Duchess of Cambridge.
01:07"...I, William Arthur Philip Louis…"
01:09"...take thee, Catherine Elizabeth…"
01:10"...take thee, Catherine Elizabeth…"
01:12"...to my wedded wife."
01:12"...to my wedded wife."
01:14But her initiation into the firm was far from seamless. In what was undeniably an embarrassing
01:19learning curve, Catherine suffered a wardrobe malfunction of sorts when she greeted troops
01:24in Calgary months after her nuptials. Wearing a pastel yellow dress, the princess' lady parts
01:29were nearly exposed when harsh winds caused the delicate material to develop a life of its own.
01:33Inevitably, the moment went viral. Following the incident, designer Jenny Packham revealed
01:38to the Evening Standard that she was on the receiving end of criticism from angry royalists,
01:43who questioned why she didn't put weights around Catherine's hemline.
01:46She joked about it, saying,
01:47"...well, I didn't know it was going to be worn on a windy runway,
01:50but I did think maybe in future I will put in more weighting, just in case."
01:53Now far more savvy in her royal role, Catherine reportedly uses static-enhancing
01:58tricks to help prevent wardrobe malfunctions. Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Catherine
02:03shared a close relationship, as exemplified by their wholesome first public appearance together.
02:08In 2012, Catherine joined the queen in Leicester for her Diamond Jubilee tour.
02:12Evidently not looking to outshine the monarch, who was dressed to the nines in a bright fuchsia
02:17ensemble, Catherine kept it simple and classy with a tailored skirt suit. Catherine's Diamond
02:21Jubilee appearance was pivotal in solidifying her status as a national treasure, with the royal's
02:26charm and poise endearing the British public towards her. What's more, her ability to take
02:31a step back and allow the queen to shine showed true humility in the glare of the spotlight.
02:36There's an enormous amount of pressure on women to
02:38"...bounce back right after childbirth," never showing signs of stress or a mum bod.
02:43But for royals, this pressure is twofold, with royal women rarely,
02:46if ever, being photographed with a single hair out of place.
02:50The birth of Prince George in July 2013 was one of the most eagerly anticipated dates in
02:54the royal calendar, signifying Prince William's transition from boy next door to fatherhood.
02:59"...really, we were happy to show him off to whoever wanted to see him."
03:02But it was his wife who generated headlines. Princess Catherine turned heads by posing
03:06for photos on the steps of London's St. Mary's Hospital just one day after giving birth to the
03:11couple's first child. Despite giving birth just hours earlier, Catherine's hair was styled to
03:15perfection and her makeup was equally flawless. During an appearance on the Happy Mum, Happy Baby
03:20podcast, she admitted to feeling overwhelmed by the experience, saying,
03:24"...slightly terrifying, I'm not going to lie."
03:26Though Catherine did everything she could to look perfect post-childbirth,
03:29her public appearance spawned much toxicity,
03:32from claims that her hair was thinning to talk of how she would regain her figure.
03:35However, she was also praised for proudly displaying her postpartum body.
03:39Netmum's founder Siobhan Freegard said,
03:41"...in a couple of minutes on the steps of the Lindo Wing,
03:43Kate had done more for new mum's self-esteem than any other role model."
03:47The royal children lead lavish lives, and this includes jetting across the globe from an
03:52extraordinarily young age. When Prince George was just eight months old, he joined his mum
03:56and dad on their tour of New Zealand in 2014.
03:59"...I hope that George doesn't keep you up."
04:02Famously, Princess Catherine was greeted by traditional Maori warriors upon her
04:06arrival in the Commonwealth nation. It was a pivotal moment for Catherine,
04:09and indeed the royal family in general,
04:11with the millennial princess signifying a more modern and enlightened age for the monarchy,
04:15baby in tow. Subsequently, Catherine and Prince William were praised for helping bestow a less
04:20stuffy image on the firm, with the royals enjoying a resurgence in popularity at the time.
04:25Then-New Zealand Prime Minister John Key told the New Zealand Herald,
04:29"...I think that speaks volumes about the way that William and Kate,
04:31as young royals, have modernized the royal family and their place as the head of state."
04:36Towards the end of 2017, the burgeoning MeToo movement was quickly raising awareness about
04:41sexual abuse and harassment in the workplace. During the ensuing awards season, women and
04:45male allies decided to protest via their wardrobes, wearing all black to bring attention to the
04:50movement. However, when Princess Catherine attended the BAFTAs in February 2018,
04:54she infamously didn't adhere to the unwritten all-black rule, instead wearing a green gown.
04:59She was heavily criticized for her choice of attire, with social media users accusing her
05:04of failing to show solidarity with the MeToo and Time's Up movements.
05:07It was a rare controversial blight on Catherine's otherwise largely untainted public record.
05:12However, she likely opted out of participating in the feminist protest
05:16due to strict royal protocol that forbids any overt political displays.
05:20"...she was wearing emeralds, which is a sign of feminine empowerment."
05:24Prince Harry later referenced the controversy in his memoir, Spare,
05:28noting that the media erroneously interpreted his wife's vocal support of the MeToo movement
05:32as throwing shade at Catherine. The prince wrote,
05:35"...it wasn't real, but I think it had Kate on edge,"
05:37while putting her and everyone else on notice that she was now going to be compared to
05:41and forced to compete with Meg.
05:43Though fans are accustomed to seeing Princess Catherine don a thoroughly modern wardrobe,
05:47she made a surprise venture into traditional royal garb during her trip to the Netherlands
05:52in 2018. Appearing at the state banquet, she turned heads in a blue taffeta gown
05:57accessorized with pearl and diamond jewelry. Looking every bit the Disney princess,
06:01she topped off the outfit with Princess Diana's favorite tiara, dubbed the Lover's Knot.
06:05The appearance was a highly memorable one, seeing as Catherine rarely wears tiaras.
06:09But the princess wanted to go all out for the prestigious event.
06:12ABC News royal contributor Victoria Murphy said,
06:15"...it's a white tie event, so it's possibly the glitziest event in the royal calendar.
06:20You don't get any more dressed up than white tie events,
06:22so of course Kate was wearing a full-length gown. She was wearing a tiara,
06:26what is proving to be her favorite tiara actually, the Lover's Knot tiara."
06:30There's nothing quite like a royal twinning moment. In 2018, Princess Catherine and Meghan
06:35Markle, Duchess of Sussex, synced their outfits for Christmas festivities at Sandringham.
06:40Catherine was a vision in red, wearing a tailored coat and matching hat,
06:43while Meghan dazzled in a navy coat and fascinator combo, complimenting her sister-in-law.
06:48Notably, the two women laughed and smiled as they ambled alongside one another,
06:51seemingly quashing rumors of a royal rift.
06:54This apparent reconciliation may have been initiated by Queen Elizabeth,
06:58who reportedly wanted her grandson's respective wives to make peace in time for Christmas.
07:02According to insiders who spoke to The Sun,
07:04both the queen and King Charles had thus far tried their best not to interfere in Catherine
07:09and Meghan's affairs. The insider explained,
07:11"...but they both made it clear that Christmas was for the whole family to really come together.
07:15That meant the two couples walking into church together. Yes, it was awkward and uncomfortable
07:19given what's gone on over the past 12 months, but the alternative of even more negativity
07:23on Christmas Day wasn't worth thinking about."
07:26Queen Elizabeth's platinum jubilee was as memorable as it was poignant. The landmark
07:30occasion denoted the monarch's final public spectacle before her death just four months
07:34later in September 2022. In an iconic snap, the ailing queen joined her son and Prince William,
07:40Princess Catherine, and their three children on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the
07:43Trooping the Colour parade. Catherine looked every inch the future queen in an ivory suit
07:48and sun-hat combo as she gazed in awe at the unfolding pageantry. The occasion felt like
07:52a family reunion of sorts, since Catherine and William had been absent from the 2021
07:57Trooping the Colour due to lockdown restrictions in the UK. It would also spell Catherine's final
08:01Trooping the Colour as the Duchess of Cambridge before taking on the more senior role of the
08:05Princess of Wales at the following year's ceremony.
08:08Princess Catherine and Prince William's 2022 tour of the Caribbean went viral for all the
08:13wrong reasons. There was widespread condemnation from the outset of the trip, with protesters
08:17calling for the couple to apologize for Britain's bloody colonial past.
08:21Our land is for we, and we need land for our children."
08:25But in perhaps the most notorious moments from the tour, one that will likely plague the couple
08:30for years to come, a grinning William and Catherine reached out to Jamaican locals who
08:34were behind a metal fence. The image was a painful reminder of the horrors of the British Empire's
08:39long history of colonization, and one completely inharmonious with the public portrayal of William
08:43and Catherine as thoroughly modern royals. Subsequently, the royals were widely mocked
08:48on social media, with bemused critics wondering how William and Catherine's PR team ever approved
08:53such a photo-op. Royal author Omid Scobie wrote on X,
08:56"...I do wonder what the hell palace organisers were thinking with some of yesterday's photo
09:00moments. The planning and recon that goes into every step of these engagements is next level,
09:04so how did no one think to avoid certain imagery? This is why diversity on a team matters."
09:09Following the tragic death of Queen Elizabeth the previous fall, King Charles was initiated
09:13as monarch in May 2023. In the lead-up to the coronation, Princess Catherine was reportedly
09:18struggling with some anxiety, understandable given the historical significance of the event.
09:23Despite her anxiety, the Princess of Wales made a highly memorable appearance at the coronation,
09:27decked out in royal regalia. Wearing a ceremonial robe in line with her status as Dame Grand Cross
09:33of the Royal Victorian Order, she looked every inch the future queen consort. Catherine and
09:37her daughter Charlotte also wore floral crowns. Royal embroiderer Chloe Savage told People,
09:42"...of course hats aren't going to work when you're going to be photographed from above.
09:45It's going to get in the way of everything, so hats were a no-go."
09:48Custom headpieces was a sensible route, and of course, Kate matched her and Charlotte's.
09:53The florals bore much significance to the momentous occasion. The motif reportedly
09:57reflected the king's desire for a modernized monarchy, hence the inclusion of subtle
10:01headpieces in lieu of traditional crowns. Following a number of outlandish conspiracy
10:06theories regarding Princess Catherine's disappearance, the royal went public with
10:09her cancer diagnosis in March 2024.
10:12"...for everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope."
10:18Prior to her announcement, she hadn't been seen since Christmas 2023, when she attended the royal
10:23family's annual church service. Catherine was a vision in royal blue, her get-up easily securing
10:28a place among her most iconic outfits. However, due to her looming cancer diagnosis, these images
10:34of Catherine will always bear a poignant significance in the hearts of royal fans.
10:38According to body language expert Jess Ponsa, who previously spoke exclusively to The List,
10:43Catherine's last public appearance before her cancer diagnosis showed true resilience.
10:47Ponsa explained,
10:48"...her unease was minimal, only revealing itself in fleeting moments between smiles
10:52when she gazed blankly ahead. Those instances only seemed to happen when she was moving."