Kate Middleton and Princess Diana are distantly related through their shared ancestry from King Edward III. Research indicates they are roughly fourteenth cousins, as both descend from Sir Thomas Fairfax.
The late Princess Diana and her daughter-in-law Kate Middleton — both commoners who married into the royal family — apparently found themselves in the latter camp: Both moms-to-be reportedly had disagreements with their husbands over what to name their children.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh (then Sophie Rhys-Jones) was the royal who notably skipped Princess Diana's funeral in 1997, not by outright refusal but by a considerate decision supported by the Royal Family, because her strong resemblance to Diana would have been too upsetting for the grieving crowds, as reported in royal biographies.
The Spencer family has a long association with the royal family. She was descended from two of King Charles II illegitimate sons the Duke of Grafton and the Duke of Richmond, and her maternal grandmother was a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
Who was the illegitimate daughter of Charles and Diana?
King Charles III and late Princess Diana reportedly had a secret 'illegitimate' daughter named Sarah, who was born in 1981, before the birth of her first son Prince William.
Kate Middleton BREAKS IN TEARS After DNA Test CONFIRMS Diana’s Final Secret
Why was Diana a princess but Kate is a duchess?
Why was Diana a princess after her wedding but Kate was a duchess? “Diana was immediately Princess of Wales because it was her husband's most senior title,” explains Koenig. Kate, on the other hand, went by duchess after her husband became a duke on their wedding day.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh (then Sophie Rhys-Jones) didn't attend Princess Diana's funeral because she and Diana looked so alike, and it was decided her presence would be too upsetting for the mourners, a decision supported by the Royal Family. Her resemblance to Diana, including similar short blonde hair and features, meant that from a distance, she could have been mistaken for the late Princess, causing distress.
"One of the most shocking things that Diana told me was that the night before the wedding, Charles told her that he didn't love her," Thornton said. "I think Charles didn't want to go into the wedding on a false premise. He wanted to square it with her, and it was devastating for Diana."
What three words did Prince Harry use to describe Kate Middleton?
Prince Harry described Kate Middleton in three words when they first met as "carefree, sweet, and kind," reflecting his positive first impression and her easygoing personality before she joined the royal family, a sentiment shared in his memoir Spare.
Kate and Prince William eat breakfast separately on Christmas Day due to a long-standing royal tradition where the men have a hearty breakfast downstairs while the women eat lighter meals in their rooms to allow more time for hair and makeup before the heavily photographed church service, a custom revealed by former royal chef Darren McGrady, though they dine together for other meals.
She was referred to Virtua gynecologist Geoffrey Bowers, MD, who performs single-incision and minimally invasive hysterectomies through robotic surgery. Diana had a single-incision hysterectomy—meaning the surgeon made one incision along the line of her belly button.
Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales continue to be the most positively viewed royals, with around three-quarters of Britons (74-77%) seeing the Waleses in a favourable light, figures largely unchanged from last October.
It's understood that Kate will be named Queen consort when Prince William takes to the throne, as his great-grandmother, The Queen Mother, did previously. This is in line with royal tradition, as is explained on the palace's official website.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh (then Sophie Rhys-Jones) was the royal who notably skipped Princess Diana's funeral in 1997, not by outright refusal but by a considerate decision supported by the Royal Family, because her strong resemblance to Diana would have been too upsetting for the grieving crowds, as reported in royal biographies.
Princess Diana's "dark side" involved deep personal struggles, including severe bulimia, self-harm, and depression, stemming from immense pressure and her unhappy marriage, alongside traits like mood swings, impulsivity, and an intense temperament that could be manipulative, demanding, or cruel towards staff and rivals, creating conflict and drama, as revealed in her secret tapes and accounts from close aides, portraying a complex figure deeply affected by her royal role and media spotlight.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh (then Sophie Rhys-Jones) was the royal who notably skipped Princess Diana's funeral in 1997, not by outright refusal but by a considerate decision supported by the Royal Family, because her strong resemblance to Diana would have been too upsetting for the grieving crowds, as reported in royal biographies.
"She was Princess Diana's hated archnemesis; Diana called Camilla 'the Rottweiler,' and Camilla's nickname for Diana was 'Barbie. '" "The two women were fierce archrivals, and Camilla famously broke up the marriage of Charles and Diana," Andersen shared.
Prince William and the palace regularly reference her as Catherine in statements and formal communications, though the public and press colloquially call her Kate, as do some of her own friends.
