The Ingenious "Hack" Kate Middleton Uses to Avoid Answering Questions, and Why She Has to Be "So Careful"

Kate Middleton and Prince William are consummate professionals when it comes to speaking with strangers. As the Prince and Princess of Wales attend a multitude of royal engagements every year, they've quickly become accustomed to navigating awkward situations. And according to one Hollywood actor, Princess Kate is adept at deflecting personal questions.

During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, actor Rami Malek opened up about meeting the Prince and Princess of Wales at the BAFTAs in 2019. "They work so hard to get to know everybody," Malek told the host. "Who's done whatever film they've done, their past films, and you can see they've done their homework."

Discussing his awkward encounter with Kate, Malek explained, "I just looked at Princess Kate at one point, and I said, 'This must be exhausting.' And she said, 'Why?'" Malek responded, saying, "You just had a baby, right?" According to the actor, Kate seemed to be "taken aback" by the personal nature of his comment. Instead of answering, she allegedly responded by asking Malek, "How are you doing?"

Rami Malek on No Time to Die, Friendship with Daniel Craig & Meeting Prince William & Kate Middleton - YouTube

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Rather than answering Princess Kate's question, Malek asked, "No, how are you?" Describing the moment, Malek told Kimmel, "And in the most regal, elegant way, she gave me a look."

When Princess Kate refused to engage with Malek's personal question, the Bohemian Rhapsody actor appeared to dig himself even deeper with some small talk. "The funniest thing about that is, I said, 'You know, if you ever need time off, I'm backup for you,'" Malek explained. "She's like, 'What do you mean?' I said, 'You guys go out, have a good time.'"

After completing cancer treatment, Princess Kate returned to the spotlight with aplomb in 2025. "Even though the palace is still advising that the princess is by no means returning to full-time royal duties yet, we have seen a surprising amount of her so far this year," former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told the Mirror. She continued, "[Princess Kate] is most certainly the star of the royal show."