The soft-spoken Princess of Wales has admitted she finds big royal events ‘really hard’ because she always gets told to speak louder.
Kate, 44, opened up about what she finds difficult at some Royal Family occasions when at a Buckingham Palace reception to mark what would have been Queen Elizabeth II’s 100th birthday.
Speaking to a group of guests – thought to include 100-year-old Joan Illingworth – at Tuesday’s event, Prince William’s wife admitted: ‘I find these environments are really hard. I’ve also got a very soft voice, so I always get told: “Speak up a bit louder!”‘
Footage of Kate’s remarks was shared on X by a fan who wrote in the caption: ‘Catherine talking to some of the ladies about how noisy these events get.’
The Princess previously revealed a childhood nickname of hers was Squeak as she visited her alma mater St Andrew’s School in 2012.
She said: ‘I was nicknamed Squeak just like my guinea pig. There was one called Pip and one called Squeak because my sister was called Pippa and I was Squeak.’
Kate’s latest reflection on her ‘very soft voice’ comes after she previously discussed her trouble with ‘chatting too long’ at walkabouts.
In the 2016 ITV documentary Our Queen at Ninety, Kate said: ‘There’s a real art to walkabouts, everybody teases me in the family that I spend far too long chatting. I still have to learn a little bit more, and to pick up a few more tips, I suppose.’
The Princess of Wales speaks with 100-year-old Joan Illingworth during a reception at Buckingham Palace
The Princess is known to be generous with her time during walkabouts, spending a while talking with well-wishers.
For the past two years Kate fell far behind her family while chatting to fans at Sandringham on Christmas Day, with Prince William filmed patiently waiting for his wife to catch up.
Meanwhile, the Princess paid tribute to the late Queen with her choice of outfit on Tuesday as she attended the Buckingham Palace reception alongside Prince William, King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Likely mirroring Her late Majesty’s colourful wardrobe, Kate looked resplendent in a bespoke lilac dress from her favoured London-based brand Emilia Wickstead.
In a further homage to her grandmother-in-law, she wore the Queen’s iconic three-strand pearl necklace and Bahrain pearl drop earrings.
The latter treasured royal heirloom was made from pearls gifted to Elizabeth by the Hakim of Bahrain for her wedding to Prince Philip. The earrings became a favourite in the early years of her marriage.
The late Queen later loaned them to Princess Diana and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh. However, since Remembrance Sunday in 2016, Kate has worn them exclusively.
Meanwhile, the pearl necklace was regularly worn by Elizabeth, with the Queen’s former assistant private secretary Sam Cohen previously telling People: ‘She wasn’t interested in material things at all. She wore the same pearl necklace every day.’
In a further homage to her grandmother-in-law, she wore the Queen’s iconic three-strand pearl necklace and Bahrain pearl drop earrings
Footage of Kate’s remarks was shared on X by a fan who wrote in the caption: ‘Catherine talking to some of the ladies about how noisy these events get’
Tuesday’s reception was designed to celebrate the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II on the anniversary of her birth.
Guests included some of the UK’s oldest citizens celebrating their 100th birthday on April 21, with Charles presenting their centenary cards in-person.
Charities and organisations associated with the late Queen were also invited, including Cancer Research UK, the Jockey Club and the Army Benevolent Fund.
Unusually the King was accompanied by a full turnout of working royals, from youngest to oldest: the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and even the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra – the last two aged 90 and 89 respectively.
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The historic Marble Hall at his London residence – one of the only public areas still open during the final stages of the palace’s refurbishment – had been decorated to look like a street party, with bunting hanging from the ceiling and paintings.
It was previously used for last year’s VJ Day commemorations and was made by household staff from old pieces of historic curtains and drapes.
Guests were treated to champagne and a special QE2 ‘tribute’ cocktail made from her favourite Dubonnet. The traditional gin had been left out because it was a ‘daytime’ event and replaced with lemon juice, rosemary and tonic.
Stands showing portraits of the late monarch visiting each of the charities lined the halls and the Band of the Household Cavalry played a series of jolly modern tunes.
A Paddington Bear could be seen peeking out from behind three Queen Elizabeth II roses created by Harkness Roses in 2021, gifts for the birthday guests of honour from the Royal Horticultural Society.
The King and Queen led the royal party in from the gardens as the band played, encouraging guests to sing a verse of Happy Birthday.
He bent down to speak to birthday girl Mary Wood from Yatton in North Somerset, who insisted trying to get up from her wheelchair to greet him.
Born in Wolverhampton, Mrs Wood trained as a nurse at Corbett Hospital in Stourbridge, and enjoyed a lifelong career in nursing. She had two sons, David and Nicholas, with her late husband, Victor.
The Prince and Princess of Wales during a reception at Buckingham Palace in London today
The Princess of Wales meets guests during the reception at Buckingham Palace today
‘Is it your birthday today?’ he asked as he gave her a card. ‘Oh how wonderful. The same as my Mama. That’s marvellous!’
Queen Camilla told her: ‘You don’t look old enough to be 100!’
Mrs Wood told her the secret was eating well in her youth. ‘Good food as I grew up,’ she said.
The Queen told her she also ate ‘good, plain food’ when she was a child as well.
Mrs Wood said afterwards: ‘I came here to meet the late Queen when she celebrated her 80th birthday as mine was also on the same day. And now I have met her son. It’s been wonderful and so unexpected. I have followed the Royal Family my whole life.’
The King and Queen were followed by the Prince and Princess of Wales down the line, bending down to chat to the three centenarians.
