If you’re a senior member of the Royal Family there’s surely no better role model to look up to than the late Queen Elizabeth. As Britain’s longest-reigning monarch her decades of experience was invaluable and over the years we’ve seen the Princess of Wales take a leaf out of her book after previously admiring a "real skill" she had.
Speaking on the 2016 documentary, Our Queen at Ninety, a slightly nervous-sounding Kate said that her grandmother-in-law "remains calm and collected" and "always seems so dignified".
"Everyone feels like they’ve had some quality time with Her Majesty and, also, a real personal connection and I think that’s a real skill," the Princess added.
Queen Elizabeth used to speak with thousands of people every year and flourished at big events like garden parties and receptions. Given how little time the Queen typically spent with each individual person, her ability to connect with them is remarkable.
"I think she’s so, so engaging. She has got the most fantastic smile and I think if the Queen says nothing but she smiles, I think it gives everybody such a huge amount of joy and a huge amount of pleasure," Kate continued.
Following in the Queen’s footsteps, the Princess has forged a reputation for being equally warm and easy to connect with when she meets members of the public. She’s taken things in a slightly different direction than the late monarch and is regularly spotted bending or kneeling down to chat to children, or participating in selfies.
Elsewhere in the documentary, Kate revealed that there is a "real art to walkabouts", adding that "everyone teases me in the family that I spend far too long chatting". Striking the perfect balance between giving people what feels like "quality time" and not spending ages with one individual is tricky and nowadays she seems to have taken on Queen Elizabeth’s skill.
Although there have been times when she and Prince William are running behind schedule and are being hurried by staff - including during their visit to Scotland on 20th January - this is a rare sight. She always makes time to chat to people and even those who met her only briefly talk about her in the most glowing terms.
This year Kate celebrated her 44th birthday by going out for lunch with her mum and sister in Berkshire. Posting on Facebook about their esteemed guest, the The Funghi Club wrote, "The entire team on duty reported the same thing: she was utterly charming, gracious and every bit as radiant in person as you might imagine."
Queen Elizabeth’s guiding approach to her granddaughter-in-law also helped her feel more at ease in high-profile social situations. Perhaps this helped her to just be herself and allow her natural charisma to shine through and form connections. Recalling a visit to Leicester without William, Kate said Her Majesty was "very supportive".
"The fact she took the time to make sure that I was happy and looked after for that particular occasion, which probably in everything that she's doing is a very small element, which just shows how caring she is, really," the Princess said on the documentary.
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