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    Kate Middleton Does a Hilarious Impression of 'Absolutely Fabulous' Star Joanna Lumley

    When Kate Middleton was a kid, she did a hilarious impression of Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley, according to Kate's old teacher.

    By Kayleigh Roberts
    Published 29 June 2019 In News

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    Kate Middleton is a woman of many talents. She's a gifted photographer, a great rower, and a natural at designing parks (sure, she's apparently "rubbish" at soccer, according to her oldest son, Prince George, but you can't win them all, right?). But, in addition to all of the talents she openly shares with the world, the Duchess of Cambridge has one more that she's apparently been hiding for years: Impressions.

    In her book Kate: The Future Queen, royal expert and biographer Katie Nicholl explains that Kate has a talent for impersonating people—or, at very least, one specific person.

    When Kate was a kid, she was a "great mimic," according to one of her old teachers, Kevin Allford, who knew Kate was back in her St. Andrews Prep days. Back in the day, Kate was obsessed with the British TV show Absolutely Fabulous and did a spot-on impression of Patsy Stone, one of the show's main characters, played hilariously by Joanna Lumley. 

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    "They were great girls and in the classroom at 8 am tidying up before classes," Allford said, according to Nicholl. "Catherine was tremendous fun. I remember she loved the TV show Absolutely Fabulous, and she was a great mimic. She used to do an impression of Joanna Lumley, and would always joke to her friends when she thought the teacher wasn’t listening: ‘That’s absolutely fabulous, darling!’”

    For reference, here's a compilation of Patsy Stone's best moments from Absolutely Fabulous. Feel free to imagine Kate saying all of these things:

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    • Princess Kate and Princess Charlotte with their heads together at the Commonwealth Games Princess Charlotte Had a Special Backstage Experience Orchestrated by Mom Kate

    For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.

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    Kayleigh Roberts
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    Contributing Editor at Marie Claire

    Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

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