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    1. Celebrity
    2. Royals

    Princess Kate Is “Approachable” And “Genuinely Present In The Moment” When You Meet Her, According To American Countess

    The Princess of Wales does have a unique magic that puts people instantly at ease, dissolving the nerves that can come from a royal meeting.

    Christine Ross's avatar
    By Christine Ross
    Published 17 April 2026 In News

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    Princess Kate meeting people
    (Image credit: Getty Images)
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    Any time the Princess of Wales has a very public event, a flurry of messages on social media are sent out in the hopes of finding key details so they might be able to meet her. Whether it's a quick handshake on a walkabout, or a personal chat at a royal event or garden party, a meeting with the Princess of Wales is the stuff people dream about. Most people find themselves full of nerves in the moment, stumbling over curtsies and hellos. While she may be a normal girl deep down, the Princess of Wales’s royally-perfect exterior can be intimidating.

    The American-born Countess of Sandwich, Julie Montagu, shared her experiences of what it's really like to meet the Princess of Wales. “Contrary to expectations, meeting the Princess of Wales is often described as surprisingly relaxed and approachable,” she wrote in a social media post on her American Countess account. Montagu assures her followers that royal encounters don’t need to be anxiety-inducing. “Many find her calm, present, and genuinely engaging, dispelling the idea of an intimidating royal encounter.”

    LLANIDLOES, UNITED KINGDOM - FEBRUARY 26: Catherine, Princess of Wales shelters from rain under a umbrella (Photo by Ben Birchall - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

    Princess Kate meeting members of the public in Wales.

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Catherine, Princess of Wales departing the RNLI Tower Station on March 12, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Neil Mockford/GC Images)

    Princess Kate instantly puts people at ease.

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    In a video shared on X, the Countess of Sandwich said that “one of the most common things people say after meeting her is that she is far more relaxed than they expected.” The Princess of Wales does have a unique magic that puts people instantly at ease, dissolving the nerves that can come from a royal meeting. “There’s often this assumption that meeting a royal will feel formal, structured, even slightly intimidating,” the countess said, but explained that “many people describe the opposite.”

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    “They describe the Princess of Wales as calm, approachable, and genuinely present in the moment,” The American-born countess explained. Many people find her down-to-earth nature gives them the confidence to open up, and share special moments with the future Queen.

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    Christine Ross
    Christine Ross
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    Writer

    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.

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