Princess Kate Enlists a Special Tiara-Clad "Helper"

Princess Kate holding an umbrella and smiling — (Image credit: Getty Images)

While Princess Diana was known as "The People's Princess," Princess Kate is increasingly being called "The Children's Princess," and she demonstrated exactly why during a trip to Wales on February 26. The Prince and Princess of Wales visited the country ahead of its national holiday, St. David's Day, and during a meet-and-greet with members of the public, one little girl showed her affection for the future Queen in an especially adorable way.

In a TikTok shared by a fan who was at the event, Princess Kate says, "You can come with me! You can come and help me," before a little girl wearing a plastic tiara comes forward and hugs the royal around her legs.

The crowd reacts with a chorus of "awws" as Princess Kate embraces the young royal fan. The girl continues hugging Kate's side as she shuffles down the line, with the princess saying, "Come on. Very good. You can be my helper."

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Princess Kate hugging a little girl and holding an umbrella — Princess Kate hugs another young fan during her day out in Wales.

Princess Kate taking a selfie with a group of boys — The princess poses for a selfie with a group of boys on February 26.

The Princess of Wales expertly continued her conversations with fans as the girl shyly hugs Kate's leg, speaking to one woman about the war in Ukraine and how she's happy to hear that refugees have "created a community" in Wales.

"The children never want to let her go!" one fan commented on TikTok, while another added, "awww, that little princess will always remember the day she hugged the future queen."

During her day in Wales, the princess doled out plenty more hugs despite the heavy rain, bending down to speak with numerous children during her walkabouts with Prince William. She also turned a potentially awkward moment around with an adult fan, with body language expert Darren Stanton praising her quick thinking.

"I can't sign things, I'm so sorry," Kate said to a man who asked for her autograph. Instead, she gave the man a hug, with Stanton telling Betfair Casino that Kate's reaction "was a masterclass in overcoming a potentially awkward situation with zero fuss and drama."

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Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.