Prince Philip offered the Princess of Wales invaluable advice when she first joined the Royal Family, and she continues to follow his guidance to this day, according to a royal author.
Philip's Guidance on Handling the Spotlight
When Kate Middleton married Prince William in 2011, she entered the world's most renowned family and became one of its most beloved members. Coming from more modest origins, she needed guidance on handling intense global scrutiny. The ideal person to offer counsel was the late Prince Philip, who relinquished his Greek royal title to become the longest-serving consort in British history.
Philip devoted decades to serving the Royal Family and the monarch, earning a reputation as the Queen's steadfast partner who consistently put the needs of the Firm above all else. This lifetime of commitment—he served as patron, president, or member of more than 780 organisations—made him perfectly placed to guide Kate on navigating life under constant public scrutiny.
Relief at William's Choice
When Kate joined the Firm at age 29, Philip was reportedly "relieved" that his grandson had found "such a level-headed girl," according to royal author Gyles Brandreth, who befriended Philip through the National Playing Fields Association.
Brandreth wrote in his biography Philip The Final Portrait: "One of the things that saddened - and worried - the Queen and Prince Philip about Diana, Princess of Wales, was not that she was popular, but that she allowed her popularity to go to her head."
Key Advice: Role Over Celebrity
Brandreth documented that Philip told Kate: "If you believe the attention is for you personally, you're going to end up in trouble. The attention is for your role, what you do, what you're supporting. It isn't for you as an individual. You are not a celebrity. You are representing the Royal Family. That's all."
He also advised: "Don't look at the camera. The Queen never looks at the camera. Never. Look at who you are talking to. Look at who you've come to see. Diana looked at the camera."
Kate's Adherence to the Advice
Brandreth revealed from his own observations that Kate has consistently followed Philip's guidance, noting: "I have been on walkabout with the Duchess of Cambridge. She never looks at the camera."
The counsel Philip offered Kate resulted in the two developing an "unexpected" friendship, as they frequently sat alongside one another at royal occasions and shared a comparable sense of humour. Prince William paid tribute to their bond in his heartfelt message following Philip's death in 2021, writing: "I will always be grateful that my wife had so many years to get to know my grandfather and for the kindness he showed her."
