Catherine, Princess of Wales, Had a Hilarious Reaction to Being Called Prince William’s Assistant

She handled the potentially awkward moment with grace.

Kate Middleton
(Image credit: Getty)
Rachel Burchfield
By Rachel Burchfield
published

The Prince and Princess of Wales were in Cardiff this weekend, attending the England versus Wales rugby match—Kate is patron of England’s team and William is patron of the Welsh club—and their return to Cardiff made us think of a hilarious moment while the couple was in Cardiff several years ago visiting the Shire Hall Care Home. The Mirror reports that during the visit, and despite the pair being perhaps one of the most recognizable couples across the globe, Kate was mistakenly called William’s assistant (oops!)—and her reaction was priceless.

Meeting the duo, resident Joan Drew-Smith pointed at Kate and asked William “Is that your assistant?” Ever a pro at thinking quickly, Kate laughed and said to William “Well, I am your assistant” before adding “I have been for a long time!”

While we prefer to see William and Kate as equals—and Kate is certainly no second fiddle to her husband—the classy way she handled the mix-up is proof of her poise, grace, and wit in the moment.

The Prince and Princess of Wales’ return to Cardiff yesterday also made us think of the England versus Wales matchup of last year at Twickenham Stadium in London, when the couple brought eldest son Prince George along with them. While his parents each donned scarves representing their favorite team in the match, George remained neutral, and, when asked whether the future king would be supporting his father’s team or his mother’s team, George shrugged and smiled at William, who laughed “It’s become quite the thing in the house,” pointing to Kate. “She is quite into it. I’m trying to stay out of it.”

Kate asked George to tell the group assembled about how he started playing rugby at school—“He has all the kit,” she said—and George told the crowd that he had just started to learn to tackle. “But I haven’t tackled you yet!” he said, turning to his mother. Kate replied, laughing, “Yes, you have!”

George comes about his appreciation for sports, and specifically rugby, honestly: Both of his parents are keen sports fans, and Kate was a rugby fan long before her marriage to William in 2011.

Rachel Burchfield
Rachel Burchfield
Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor

Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more. 

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