Former Royal Staff Reveals Princess Kate's "Gracious" Habit

Prince William, Princess Kate, and members of royal staff

(Image credit: Getty Images)

A former member of the royal staff at Buckingham Palace has revealed what Prince Wiliam and Princess Kate are really like behind closed doors. The former staff member, who worked in food service for four years and confirmed their role to moderators, took part in a now-deleted Reddit “Ask Me Anything” thread to share their experiences. The former employee primarily served under the late Queen Elizabeth II and was on staff for King Charles’s ascension, where they worked during major royal events and met several members of the Royal Family. They said that in their interactions with the Prince and Princess of Wales, it was apparent that “William and Catherine seem to enjoy each other’s company and they seem close.”

The former staff member reported that Princess Kate is “very polite and kind.” They praised the Prince and Princess of Wales for being respectful to all staff, and setting an example for their children. “[Catherine] and William are always gracious to staff, even those that don't work for them directly,” they shared, reporting that Prince William and Princess Kate “always came into the kitchens and any other area to say thank you at the end of their trips, and made sure the children did the same.”

Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis waving on the balcony at Buckingham Palace in front of Prince William and Princess Kate — Prince William and Princess Kate make sure to thank staff every time they visit Buckingham Palace.

Prince William, Princess Kate, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis and Prince George sitting in a field of flowers — The Prince and Princess of Wales are trying to give their children as normal a childhood as possible.

Speaking of their parenting skills, the former royal staff member said “they’re very hands-on.” The Prince and Princess of Wales take extra care to make sure that Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis have as much of a normal childhood as possible, even when normal family events are hosted at Buckingham Palace. “They’re allowed to be normal in private and are just like any other children,” the former staff member revealed.

The former staff member also said that Prince Louis is “very funny,” but reiterated several times that their experiences with the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children was limited. Even so, the royal couple left a lasting impression of being “very friendly and nice.”

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Christine Ross is a freelancer writer, royal expert, broadcaster and podcaster. She's worked with news outlets including the BBC, Glamour, Talk TV, ET, PBS, CNN and 20/20 to cover the foremost royal events of the last decade, from Prince George’s birth to the coronation of King Charles III.

She previously served as co-host of Royally Us, a weekly royal podcast by Us Weekly. As a freelance writer and royal commentator she provides expert commentary, historical context and fashion analysis about royal families worldwide, with an emphasis on the British Royal Family.