The Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, and her 11-year-old daughter Princess Charlotte were spotted riding the Elizabeth line on the London Underground over the weekend, leaving fellow passengers stunned and prompting a wave of public reaction online.
Travellers on the train on Saturday (October 10) clocked Kate and Charlotte seated together within a carriage during a weekend mother-and-daughter excursion into central London. Passengers described the moment as "surreal," observing that Charlotte appeared fascinated while taking in the train compartment as Kate clasped her hand while they got ready to disembark at their stop.
While they travelled under the radar in relaxed attire, plainclothes Royalty and Specialist Protection officers were positioned close by. The trip was a personal weekend adventure rather than an official royal duty.
Ordinary Experiences for Royal Children
It is understood Princess Kate has consistently strived to provide her youngsters with ordinary experiences beyond palace formalities, mirroring Princess Diana, who famously accompanied William and Harry on public transport and to theme parks.
The Elizabeth line, which launched in 2022 and bears Queen Elizabeth II's name, is recognised for being efficient, spotless, and swift throughout London, making public transport a sensible choice for reaching the city centre - something senior royals (including King Charles and Prince William) occasionally employ.
Public Reaction: Praise and Criticism
Despite numerous people being delighted to witness Kate offering her daughter such a wonderfully ordinary and quintessentially British experience, others delivered the same three-word assessment of the excursion; that 'it was a stunt'.
One individual posted on Reddit: "It's a stunt to show they can be 'like normal people'." While another added: "I do not, for one second, believe that they were there with non-vetted members of the public."
A third weighed in: "You can tell the guys next to them are part of their protection team, but it is still a total stunt/set up." While a fourth questioned: "How much longer are they going to keep doing stuff like this? These stunts aren't sustainable in the long term. Eventually something will give."
Despite numerous observers noting that Princess Charlotte appeared 'amazed' by the tube journey, someone else remarked: "She [Charlotte] looks so uncomfortable and confused as to why they are staging this farce."
Royal History on the Underground
Nevertheless, despite such criticism, countless people heaped praise upon Catherine for allowing her daughter to have the experience. One penned: "It's great than Catherine is exposing the children to real life, not hiding their faces and locking them in an ivory tower. They'll be well-adjusted and empathetic - just like their parents." While another contributed: "It's good for the kids to become acclimated to using public transport." A third person also hailed Kate as the 'people's princess'.
Alongside Kate and Charlotte, both King Charles and Prince William have travelled on the London Underground on numerous occasions. Just days ahead of King Charles's coronation in May 2023, Prince William and Kate hopped aboard the Elizabeth line at Acton Main Line and travelled to Tottenham Court Road. They had a chat with Transport for London staff and fellow passengers before popping into a nearby Soho pub for a quick drink.
During their childhood, William and Harry also regularly used the Underground with Princess Diana, who was keen to give them a taste of ordinary public transport. As Prince of Wales, Charles took a trip on a Metropolitan line service with Camilla back in 2013, journeying from Farringdon to King's Cross St Pancras. The pair touched in at the ticket gates using special commemorative Oyster cards. Charles also formally launched the Jubilee line back in 1979 and memorably travelled in the driver's compartment from Green Park to Charing Cross. At the age of 19, Charles also donned a white boiler suit and safety helmet to venture 70 feet below ground into the Victoria line tunnels close to Brixton back in 1968.
