Princess Kate Flattered By Comparisons To Princess Diana But Keeps Firm Privacy Boundaries
Princess Kate is flattered by comparisons to her late Princess Diana, but the future Queen has also learned from Diana’s difficult experiences and is determined to maintain much stronger boundaries around her private life.
Kate has frequently been compared with Diana since becoming the Princess of Wales, a title previously held by William’s mother. While the comparison carries enormous weight because of Diana’s enduring popularity, royal experts have suggested that Kate has never attempted to become a replacement for the late Princess.
Royal expert Richard Kay discussed Kate’s reaction to the comparisons in the Channel 5 documentary Kate: Our New Diana. According to Kay, the Princess understands why people draw parallels between the two women but does not want to become the same kind of global celebrity Diana was.
“Kate is not Diana, she doesn’t want to be that sort of star,” Kay said, adding that he believes she is nevertheless “highly flattered” that her position and public role remind people of the late Princess of Wales.
Diana’s place in the public imagination remains exceptionally strong more than two decades after her death. Her influence continues to be reflected in the enduring public interest in her life, style, charitable work and relationship with the Royal Family.
“Diana was an international star and still is. On the front page of magazines, she still sells magazines,” Kay explained, highlighting the extraordinary level of public fascination that continues to surround William and Harry’s mother.
Another royal commentator, Simon Vigar, also reflected on Diana’s unique position within the monarchy. He described her as a “remarkable” member of the Firm and argued that there has never been another royal quite like her.
Vigar suggested that Diana’s influence cannot simply be replicated. Her personality, global popularity and willingness to challenge established traditions made her an unusual figure within the Royal Family.
At the same time, Vigar believes Kate and William have recognised the positive aspects of Diana’s legacy. He pointed to Kate’s own acknowledgement of the change Diana helped bring about during her years as a working royal.
“Kate has acknowledged herself what a force for change Diana was,” Vigar said, suggesting that William and Kate are attempting to build on that legacy rather than simply imitate Diana.
The Princess of Wales has also appeared to take a very different approach when it comes to protecting her private life. Diana experienced intense media intrusion throughout much of her life, with photographers frequently pursuing her and documenting intimate moments.
Kate has seemingly taken lessons from those experiences. Rather than allowing photographers unrestricted access to her family life, she has increasingly used her own photography skills to provide carefully selected glimpses of William and their children.
“What Kate has done, which is very interesting, is use her skills as a photographer,” Kay pointed out, referring to the family photographs and videos that the Princess has personally taken and released.
Those carefully controlled images allow the Wales family to share special moments with the public while retaining control over what remains private. The approach has become particularly noticeable around birthdays, anniversaries and major family occasions.
“They offer up a glimpse of their home life from time to time, just enough to keep the public and media satisfied, but there are absolute boundaries,” Kay explained.
The strategy represents one of the clearest differences between Kate’s public life and the experience Diana endured. While Diana became one of the most photographed women in the world, Kate appears determined to decide when and how her family is seen.
Ultimately, the comparisons between Kate and Diana may continue because of their shared title, their connection to William and their importance to the future of the monarchy. Yet Kate appears comfortable acknowledging Diana’s enormous legacy without attempting to become her replacement.
For the future Queen, the goal appears to be taking the positive lessons from Diana’s life while avoiding some of the painful experiences that came with her extraordinary fame. In doing so, Kate may be creating a royal role that is inspired by Diana but unmistakably her own.
