As Prince William and Princess Kate prepare themselves for a future on the throne, their royal roles have become more important than ever. When the Royal Family welcomed Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said of Oman for an official state visit on October 20, the Princess of Wales showed how soft diplomacy is done—and one royal biographer says that her upbringing plays a “key” role.
Wearing a floaty new Elie Saab gown with her go-to Lover’s Knot Tiara, Kate not only brought royal glamour to the state banquet on October 20, but she helped Windsor Castle’s guests feel at home.
"Catherine gets it right every time—she’s always on her A-game,” royal biographer and journalist Robert Jobson told Hello! magazine. “She had clearly done her homework and she looked magnificent.”
Jobson continued that Kate, who sparkled in Queen Elizabeth’s Greville Chandelier Earrings, “looked every inch a future Queen” at the sumptuous banquet.
Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, said that the Princess of Wales also plays an important role in developing international relations.
"Catherine is absolutely key to these visits,” Seward said. “She’s able to deal with almost anyone, and I think that’s because her parents instilled in her the importance of good manners. She’s become the golden key, if you like."
Body language expert Darren Stanton recently told Marie Claire that Princess Kate's quiet ability to make “people feel at ease” is her royal superpower.
Speaking on behalf of UK online slots provider Betfair Casino, Stanton says that the “ability to read a situation is a real strength of Catherine’s.”
"She understands that, while this is a very formal state occasion, there are people there who may feel a little nervous or intimidated by the setting," he said. "She does not need to dominate the interaction or draw attention to herself; instead, she uses her warmth, confidence and ability to read people to make everyone around her feel comfortable."