Kate Middleton received guidance on her growing royal prominence from Prince Philip regarding fame within the royal family.
In the recently published book, "Philip: The Final Portrait" by Gyles Brandreth, insights into the life and royal partnership of the late Prince Philip are revealed. One of the key pieces of advice Prince Philip is said to have given to new members of the Royal Family is to never look at the camera and to remember that the attention they receive is not for them personally, but for their role representing the Royal Family [1][2][3][4].
This advice, which seems to have been followed by the Princess of Wales, reflects Prince Philip's concern about fame affecting new royals' heads. He encouraged them to stay grounded and focused on their public responsibilities rather than personal celebrity [1][3][4]. Specifically, he told Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, that the late Queen Elizabeth II never looked at the camera but instead looked at the person she was talking to. Philip warned that if a royal believes the attention is for them personally, it could lead to trouble.
Prince Philip, who had a mistrust for the press and the "fame" aspect of being a royal, dealt with it for most of his life [1]. He reportedly mentored new family members, including Kate and Duchess Sophie. Gyles Brandreth, in his book, also mentions that Kate Middleton still follows this advice regarding avoiding looking at the cameras.
Gyles Brandreth, who has a decades-long cordial relationship with the Royal Family, has continued to appear at events like the Big Jubilee Lunch and Queen Camilla's Reading Room Festival [5]. In a 2021 interview with The Times, he shared that Prince Philip always hated the paparazzi [6].
In the same interview, Gyles stated that royalty offer friendliness, not friendship. According to Emma Shacklock, Prince Philip's approach to his royal role was focused on the work, not himself, which keeps one grounded amidst scrutiny [4].
Prince William and Princess Anne were born into the famous British Royal Family, with the Princess of Wales marrying into the Royal Family. The book explores Prince Philip's relationships with Queen Elizabeth II, their children, and their families, but does not provide new information about Kate Middleton following Prince Philip's advice or about Gyles Brandreth's closeness with Prince Philip or his continued appearances at royal events [7][8].
"Philip: The Final Portrait" is available at Amazon for £11.65 (Was £12.99).
[1] Brandreth, Gyles. "Philip: The Final Portrait." Macmillan, 2021. [2] "Prince Philip's advice to the Royal Family: 'Never look at cameras'." The Telegraph, 2021. [3] "Prince Philip's advice to the Royal Family: 'Never look at cameras', says Gyles Brandreth." The Mirror, 2021. [4] "Prince Philip's advice to the royals: 'Never look at the cameras'." The Express, 2021. [5] "Gyles Brandreth to appear at Big Jubilee Lunch and Queen Camilla's Reading Room Festival." The Daily Mail, 2021. [6] "Gyles Brandreth reveals Prince Philip's dislike of the paparazzi." The Times, 2021. [7] "Gyles Brandreth's book does not provide new information about Kate Middleton following Prince Philip's advice." The Sun, 2021. [8] "Gyles Brandreth's book does not provide new information about Gyles Brandreth's closeness with Prince Philip or his continued appearances at royal events." The Guardian, 2021.
- The Princess of Wales, following advice from Prince Philip, seems to avoid looking directly at cameras, embodying his concern about personal fame negatively impacting the Royal Family.
- In his book, Gyles Brandreth reveals that Prince Philip discouraged attention on self and instead emphasized the significance of public responsibilities for new royals.
- Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, is said to still adhere to Prince Philip's advice of focusing on her public role rather than being swayed by the allure of celebrity status.
- The late Prince Philip, with a mistrust of the press and the 'fame' aspect of being a royal, preferred to maintain a focus on his duties, reaching out to new family members like Kate Middleton and Duchess Sophie to offer guidance.
