Kate Middleton's Friend Revealed She's Very Different Behind Closed Doors

According to a friend of Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge is "very chilled at home," with the pomp and ceremony and glossy blow dries nowhere in sight.

cardiff, united kingdom december 08 embargoed for publication in uk newspapers until 24 hours after create date and time catherine, duchess of cambridge visits cardiff castle on december 8, 2020 in cardiff, wales the duke and duchess of cambridge are undertaking a short tour of the uk, using the royal train, ahead of the christmas holidays to pay tribute to the inspiring work of individuals, organisations and initiatives across the country that have gone above and beyond to support their local communities during the coronavirus pandemic photo by poolmax mumbygetty images
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It's hard to imagine the royals as anything but perfectly prim and proper, whether performing their public duties or flossing their teeth of an evening. But according to a friend of Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge is "very chilled at home," with the pomp and ceremony and glossy blow dries nowhere to be seen.

Speaking to People, an unnamed friend of the Duchess said the Cambridge household is "a normal, busy family home with kids running around and knocking things over. There’s no airs and graces." The insider said of Kate, "When you see her behind closed doors with the children, she’s a very confident mom, and she’s no pushover. The children get told off if they act up."

As for Kate's signature, perfectly coiffed look? That doesn't extend to her everyday life at home. "There are no blow-dries—it’s always hair up in a ponytail," the friend said. "She’s either in her gym clothes, or a dress and sneakers, very little makeup, apologizing as she’s late for the school run before dashing off. It’s the life of a working mom with three young children—just a different sort of day job to most."

According to another insider, Kate works hard to ensure children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis have normal lives—or normal-adjacent, at least, considering they're literally royals. "She is doing that to help her children be more grounded and keep their reality in check," the source said. "That’s what really matters to her." 

Emily Dixon
Morning Editor

Emily Dixon is a British journalist who’s contributed to CNN, Teen Vogue, Time, Glamour, The Guardian, Wonderland, The Big Roundtable, Bust, and more, on everything from mental health to fashion to political activism to feminist zine collectives. She’s also a committed Beyoncé, Kacey Musgraves, and Tracee Ellis Ross fan, an enthusiastic but terrible ballet dancer, and a proud Geordie lass.