Kate Middleton's speeches are rare (apparently, the Princess of Wales gets a little bit nervous when public speaking) but when she does make them, the delivery is always future Queen-worthy. The Princess of Wales' RP accent is no surprise considering her upbringing and private schooling, but the former Duchess of Cambridge reportedly had some help with perfecting it.
Royal commentator and journalist Omid Scobie has claimed in his new book Endgame that Kate had 'several rounds of elocution lessons' that ultimately have led to her sounding 'posher' than Prince William.
Endgame, which is due to be released on Tuesday 28th November 2023, focuses on the Royal Family's 'fight for survival' and has received mixed reviews, with the New York Times saying it 'takes no prisoners'.
The co-author of Finding Freedom, Scobie's loyalties have previously lain with the Sussexes, so it's no surprise that he's not exactly complimentary about Princess Cathrine's accent, claiming that she has 'successfully sublimated her authentic self, becoming an enigma to the public and perhaps even herself' in order to prepare for her future as Queen.
Jon Briggs, a speech expert and voiceover artist, also recognises that Kate's accent has, naturally, evolved over time. "While Kate always spoke well, she may not have had quite such a pronounced accent when she first joined the family," he told The Express.
"We tend to like to blend in with our surroundings and I suspect her accent will have migrated towards what we regard as 'the Queen's English' (quite literally) during the past 10 years to fit in."
It's no surprise that Kate needed a little help when it came to preparing for such a high-profile role in the Royal Family. It's thought that Princess Catherine had etiquette lessons from Queen Elizabeth II herself in order to prepare for her role as Queen one day.
"From the beginning, Kate Middleton had a great deal of support from the Royal Family which was really instructed by the Queen," royal journalist Ashley Pearson explained in Amazon Prime's Kate Middleton: Working Class to Windsor documentary.
"This was to make sure she knew as much as she could possibly know and what to do in every situation—bearing in mind, of course, that she didn’t grow up in this world."
Pearson continued: "There were things like learning how to get out of a carriage without exposing your modesty and learning how to bend down to get flowers from a young girl without exposing your modesty. Things that you would never think you’d have to learn but, of course, a woman in her position would certainly need to know.
"There were all kinds of small details and little bits of etiquette—how to sit, who to curtsy to, who not to curtsy to, what fork to use and whatever else they felt she needed to know. She was actually given lessons on how to be a royal wife."
Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy's Fight for Survival is set for release on 28th November 2023
