Princess Kate ‘hurt’ by Queen’s ‘stinging’ remark about her lifestyle

Princess Kate has undertaken a host of public engagements since the death of Queen Elizabeth II, but the late Queen reportedly had reservations about her

NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - JUNE 13: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Queen Elizabeth II watch part of a children's sports event w
Catherine and the Queen formed a very close bond (Image: WPA Pool, Getty Images)

Long before joining the Royal Family, Catherine already enjoyed an exceptionally privileged lifestyle.

She frequented some of London’s most exclusive nightspots, wore designer fashion labels and undertook extraordinarily luxurious holidays.

Unsurprisingly, Catherine’s extensive travels have continued following her marriage to Prince William and her evolution into the Duchess of Cambridge, subsequently becoming the Princess of Wales.

Nevertheless, it seems the Queen held particular concerns regarding her future granddaughter-in-law’s jet-setting tendencies during those earlier years.

In her 2010 book William and Harry, royal commentator Katie Nicholl observes: “If she was not with William at Balmoral then the couple were skiing or holidaying on Mustique.”, reports the Liverpool Echo.

LEICESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 08: Queen Elizabeth II (R) and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (L) watch a fashion show at De Montfo
The Queen came to trust Catherine completely (Image: Oli Scarff, Getty Images)

“Kate was there so often the press dubbed her ‘Queen of Mustique’, a title that had previously belonged to Princess Margaret.

“Britain was now in a recession an and such frivolous displays of wealth were unpalatable to the Queen.

“She is one of the hardest-working royals, despite her age, and that a future member of the family was without a full-time job was unacceptable to her.

“While the rest of the world speculated that an engagement was on the horizon for William and Kate, the Queen believed an announcement should be postponed until Kate was settled in a career.”

In the book, Nicholl references a source claiming: “It is Her Majesty’s opinion that if Kate is one day going to be William’s consort, then she needs a proper job.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - NOVEMBER 10: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 24 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Que
The Queen knew Catherine was key to the future of the royal family (Image: Max Mumby/Indigo, Getty Images)

“Swanning from one five-star holiday resort to another is not the prerequisite for a young woman possibly destined to be Queen.”

According to Nicholl, Catherine felt “stung” by the Queen’s remarks.

Nevertheless, throughout the years the Princess of Wales secured her grandmother-in-law’s unwavering confidence, with the monarch recognising her as crucial to the royal family’s future.

From her dedication to service through to her composed, considered approach to royal duties, Catherine drew enduring inspiration from the formidable figure who shaped the contemporary monarchy.

“The princess is now very much her own woman, and she carries out her engagements in her own way,” former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told the Mirror.

She added: “But she learned a good deal from the Queen about the dignity of the role, the duty that comes with her status and – perhaps most important of all – to smile and engage with thousands of strangers, for whom this brief meeting is something they will always remember.

“The centenary of Queen Elizabeth’s birth will be a poignant day for William and Catherine. Even though they are the face of modern royalty and William has said he’s going to embrace change, they know the late Queen was admired around the world, and hers is a tough act for anyone to follow.”