Kate Middleton has been a working member of the British royal family for over a decade, but upon entering the next phase of her and Prince William’s relationship—marriage—the budding princess felt a bit of apprehension before stepping into the role, and leaned on William for emotional support for her dramatic shift into the public eye.
During the November 16, 2010 photocall for William and Middleton’s engagement, the future princess was asked, “As William’s wife, you’re going to be a member of the royal family. How do you feel about that?”
The then 28-year-old had a tactful response, but did express her nerves at stepping into such a major role. “Well, it’s quite a daunting prospect but hopefully I’ll take it in my stride,” she told the reporter. “William’s a great teacher, so hopefully he’ll be able to help me along the way, and I really look forward to spending my time with William.”
“She’s very good at flattery,” William cheekily replied, causing his future wife to laugh and give the snapping cameras a wide smile. The clip from the video has since gone viral on royals TikTok, amassing over 17,500 likes and counting.
These days, Middleton has a much stronger hold on her position within the royal family. Amid her cancer diagnosis, the royal has been candid about her chemotherapy treatment and its effect on her work, noting her September 9 update video that she’s taking time for herself to fully heal.
“Doing what I can to stay cancer free is now my focus. Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes,” she said. “I am however looking forward to being back at work and undertaking a few more public engagements in the coming months when I can.”