May 16, 2026
Why Kate Middleton Keeps Winning
New biographies and royal insiders explain why Princess Kate has become the monarchy’s most important modern figure. Plus: behind-the-scenes stories about her humour, resilience, fashion influence, and the scandal that nearly derailed a royal tour.
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Royal Books:
Revenge: Meghan, Harry, and the War Between the Windsors by Tom Bower
William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story
The Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King and Princess Diana
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Ah calorougu Shark Media. Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue Game,
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your host Mark Francis. Saturday is usually a day where
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we look at the Kate is Wonderful articles. According to
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Christopher Anderson, who spoke to Zoomer, said, I've been covering
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the royal family for fifty two years. There was no
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one else quite like her among senior royals. It would
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be tempting to say she is Diana two point zero,
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but Kate is a complete original. Like Diana, she has
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that common touch that makes her relatable to the average person.
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But unlike Diana, she was not born to the Purple
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Kate's rutzer not merely middle class, but working class, and
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as such she will be the first commoner queen. She
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is a descendant of coal miners from the north of England,
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and her mother, Carol, grew up in public housing. That's
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someone from such comparatively humble origins she'd rise to become
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the wife of a future monarch and the mother of
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another is staggering. Yet. Although Kate and William have just
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celebrated their fifteenth wedding anniversary, they have actually been together
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for twenty five years. Those first ten years were the
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Weighty Katy decade, where Kate and the middletants were battered
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around mercilessly by the tabloid press and faced skepticism from
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some within royal circles who didn't think she was good
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enough to marry a prince of the realm. Kate proved
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them all wrong spectacularly. Kate brings compassion, grace, warmth and charisma,
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not to mention a wealth of style, wet beauty, pure
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old fashioned grit and patience to the royal table. The
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Princess of Wales, along with her forward thinking husband, has
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proved to be a much needed shot in the arm
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for an ancient and musty institution that was in very
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real danger of going extinct. Where did these qualities come from?
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Unlike Dianna, Kate had a very happy childhood with parents
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who loved each other. And also, unlike Dianna, Kate has
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a husband who loves and stands by her. If she
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hadn't been blessed with so much love and support throughout
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her life, it's anyone's guess those qualities would have blossomed
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in the way that they have. Whatever the reasons, Kate
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is a force of nature. In her own right and
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as a complete original. Because she has a strong sense
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of self, Kate has been able, as the Brits love
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to say, to never put a foot wrong. In Marie Claire,
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Royal commentator Emily Andrews shared her experience of meeting Katherine,
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Princess of Wales, saying the future Queen comes across as
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warm and personable. Behind the scenes, she's quite guarded in
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some respects Andrews said, but she's quite funny. She's just
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like meeting an old friend. Andrews added that Catherine has
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a cracking sense of humor aside of her personality that
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has rarely seen during official engagements, where she maintains a
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more measured and composed public role. The Princess of Wales
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has taken on an increasingly prominent position within the royal
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family in recent years, balancing that public responsibility with a
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carefully managed personal image. That contrast has also been noted
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by royal author Robert Jobson, who previously suggested that Catherine
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is more lighthearted in private than many might expect. I
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think she's very careful with what she says to the press.
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Jobs And said, I think that she's a lot more
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fun than the image that is presented. He added, she
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laughs a lot, and I think anybody who laughs a
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lot is obviously somebody who's got that sense of humor.
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Royal journalist Russell and Meyers said, what many people don't
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realize is what an integral part of the institution Catherine is.
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He added that the couple rely heavily on one another,
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particularly during difficult periods, including the King's health concerns in
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Catherine's own cancer diagnosis, I found it fascinating just how
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much William relies on Catherine, both professionally, personally and emotionally,
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Meyers said. According to those close to the couple, their
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shared experiences are shaping how they plan to approach their
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future roles. Mayas said they want to lead with more
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empathy and a greater personal relationship with the people, describing
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their outlook as incredibly forward looking. That approach is expected
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to include changes on how the monarchy operates, with a
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focus on long term projects and a more relatable public image.
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The couple have already centered much of their work around
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issues such as homelessness, early childhood development, and environmental initiatives.
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Their personal dynamic is also seen as key. Mayers noted
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that Catherine is often described as a steady influence, particularly
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in moments of crisis, helping guide decisions such as stepping
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back temporarily from public duties to focus on family. In
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an excerpt from Christopher Anderson's biography about Kate, the author
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revisits the twenty twelve topless photo scandal that erupted while
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the royal couple were on tour in Southeast Asia in
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the South Pacific. The photographs, published by French magazine Closer
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and Italian magazine She were taken while Prince William and
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Kate were holidaying at a private chateau in France owned
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by Viscount Linley, a relative of the late Queen Elizabeth
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the Second. A photographer reportedly used a long range telephoto
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lens from a public road more than fifteen hundred feet away.
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According to the book, Kate was initially visibly shaken after
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seeing the images, but quickly composed herself and insisted the
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scandal would not derail the tour. Quotes her as saying,
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we are not going to let it ruin this trip.
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Journalist Rebecca English, who was traveling with the couple at
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the time, recalled being struck by Kate's calm public demeanor
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despite the circumstances. We were all marveling how she was
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able to smile, shake hands and make small talk without
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the slightest quiver or indication that anything was amiss, as
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she said. William, however, was said to be furious over
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the publication of the photographs, with the incident reportedly reviving
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a painful memory of paparazzi harassment surrounding his mother, Diana,
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Princess of Wales. The book claims William pushed aggressively for
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legal action against the French publication, ultimately seeing an injunction
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and substantial damages under France's strict privacy laws. Five years later,
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a French court ordered those involved to pay damages and fines.
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The excerpt also revisits comments made at the time my
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current President Donald Trump, who publicly criticized Kate over the
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incident on social media, remarks that reportedly further angered William.
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Despite the controversy, the tour itself continued successfully. Kate carried
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out publican gates across Malaysia, Borneo, the Solomon Islands and
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to Vlou, including delivering a speech at a children's hospice
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in Kuala Lumpur and participating in traditional cultural events alongside William.
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The book also suggests Camilla allegedly suggested that the princess
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go by Kate rather than Catherine after her marriage to
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Prince William. The issue reportedly centered around royal ciphers and monograms.
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Both then Prince Charles and Camilla already using interlocking c ciphers,
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and the book claims concerns were raised internally about adding
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another prominent royal sea into the mix once Catherine joined
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the family officially. According to the report, Camilla suggested using
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k because the future princess was already widely known publicly
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as Kate Middleton. The proposal, however, allegedly did not go
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down well with William. The book claims the future king
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viewed the suggestion as insulting not only to Kate but
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to her entire family, and the matter was quickly dropped.
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Kate has continued to use Catherine in formal royal contexts,
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while still commonly being referred to as Kate by the
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public and media and US our podcast is primarily targeted
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at an American audience. We usually use Cadence. That is
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how she is known here in the states, some listeners
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disagree with our decision more palace in just a moment.
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Members of the royal family may appear highly formal in public,
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but behind closed doors their approach to dresses more relaxed
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within limits. According to former royal staff and etiquette experts,
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the guiding principle remains consistency and appropriate less even in
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private settings. What expert explained, the bottom line is that
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the outfit always has to fit the occasion. While formal
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engagements come with strict expectations, family gatherings allow for a
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more casual approach. However, there are still standards to follow.
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Former royal butler Grant Harold said it's better to overdress
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than underdress. That means even at informal events, clothing remains polished.
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Harold explained, if it's a barbecue at the palace, then
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you're going to want a pair of nice chinos and
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a silk shirt or formal shirt, not a T shirt.
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He added, for women, you should wear a cocktail dress
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if the weather is good. The dress code is typically
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set by the host, with guests expected to follow that guidance.
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As Harold noted, it's always up to the host to
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decide on the dress code. Even in private, some traditional
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rules still apply, including modest hand lines and an overall
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emphasis on elegance. Another expert said royal attire should be modest,
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elegant and appropriate, and it should never distract from the role.
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And there you have it. If you like, email us
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addresses the Palace intrig at gmail on dot com. Please
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follow us on Spotify, Apple or the app of your choice.
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I'm Mark Francis my thanks to John McDermott. This is
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Palace Intrigue and good terms
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00:07:39.399 --> 00:07:42.759
136
00:07:42.920 --> 00:07:46.199
137
00:07:46.399 --> 00:07:51.279
138
00:07:51.399 --> 00:07:54.319
139
00:07:54.360 --> 00:07:56.639
140
00:07:56.680 --> 00:07:59.480
141
00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:02.079
142
00:08:02.079 --> 00:08:04.519
143
00:08:04.560 --> 00:08:07.959
144
00:08:08.040 --> 00:08:10.319
145
00:08:10.360 --> 00:08:13.639
146
00:08:13.759 --> 00:08:17.240
147
00:08:17.279 --> 00:08:21.160
148
00:08:21.360 --> 00:08:25.240
149
00:08:25.759 --> 00:08:27.040
150
00:08:27.040 --> 00:08:29.480
151
00:08:29.480 --> 00:08:32.200
152
00:08:32.200 --> 00:08:34.320
153
00:08:34.399 --> 00:08:36.679
