The Princess of Wales played a huge role in helping the King and Queen on the recent US state visit to the UK – and it’s something she will be involved in even more in the future, according to an expert
William and Kate greet POTUS and First Lady in Windsor
The Royal Family pulled out all of the stops for US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania during their state visit to the UK.
And it was the Prince and Princess of Wales who stepped up, greeting their important visitors to Windsor Castle and putting on a very glamorous display at an incredible state banquet. Kate dazzled in her show-stopping gold Phillipa Lepley gown and the Lover’s Knot tiara as she sat right next to the president, who hailed her as “so radiant and so healthy and so beautiful”.
And even though it may have been a daunting role for Kate, given how much was at stake during the visit, royal expert Jennie Bond says Kate is now becoming poised and confident on the world stage.
The former BBC royal correspondent told the Mirror: “A sure-fire way to impress Donald Trump is to wheel out the undoubted star of the royal family: the Princess of Wales. Since her cancer treatment, her appearances are less frequent – and that makes the impact even greater.
“So I’m sure the President was hugely flattered to have Catherine and William at the foot of the helicopter steps to welcome him to Windsor. ‘Beautiful’, he said, as he greeted the Princess.
“It must be a daunting responsibility to play a leading role in such an important state visit. But I have been struck by how poised and confident Catherine now is on the world stage.
“For a middle-class girl from Berkshire to find herself seated next to the President of the United States — and one who is controversial and unpredictable— is a big ask. Her job was to keep him engaged and entertained – without saying anything that could be construed as political.
“The body language suggested she did it well, and she allowed herself to look happily flattered by his lavish praise. And, of course, she deserved some compliments: she looked a million dollars.”
As future King and Queen, when William takes to the throne, state visits will become part and parcel of life in the top jobs. Just as King Charles and Queen Camilla were in charge of hosting the Trumps during their stay at Windsor Castle, helping to organise military displays and an exhilarating Red Arrows flypast, this duty will eventually fall to William and Kate.
The scale and spectacle of the military ceremonial on show for Trump was unprecedented and marked the largest military ceremonial welcome for a state visit to the UK in living memory.
But fortunately for Kate’s role in these events in future, Jennie believes there is one person both she and William had the benefit of learning from first-hand when it comes to being a seasoned diplomat.
She explained: “In the coming decades, Catherine will be hosting many state visits from leaders around the world. Like the King, and the late Queen, she and William will do the bidding of the government of the day.
“Like it or not, they will put on a show for their guests, in the name of improving bilateral relations and carrying out the wishes of our political leaders.
“As well as all the pageantry, the monarch must also have these people to stay in their home – no matter what they think of them.
“In 1978 the late Queen had to host the Romanian president Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife at Buckingham Palace. The morning after the state banquet, the Queen was walking her corgis in the Palace gardens when, to her horror, she saw her guests taking a stroll. She hid behind a bush so that she didn’t have to talk to them any longer.
“I’m sure Catharine has already learned a great deal from the late Queen and from her father-in-law. She is the jewel in the crown at events like this. Camilla obviously also does her bit, and does it well, but it’s the princess who brings the wow factor to the banquet table.”
