Princess Kate Once Called Becoming a Member of the Royal Family "A Daunting Prospect" in Resurfaced Clip

A video from the couple's engagement announcement is making the rounds on TikTok.

Kate Middleton wearing a blue dress and Prince William standing in front of a red wall and gold painting wearing a suit and tie
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Planning a normal wedding is enough to stress anyone out, let alone a royal wedding, but Kate Middleton seemed poised and ready when her engagement to Prince William was announced in November 2010. Wrapping your head around the fact that you're going to become the future queen? That's one thing that did give her a bit of a pause, as evidenced in a resurfaced clip from the couple's engagement interview shared on TikTok.

The future Princess of Wales—who was 28 at the time—looked positively regal in her blue Issa wrap dress and bouncy blowout, but when asked by a member of the press how she felt about marrying into the Royal Family, Middleton was refreshingly honest.

"It's quite a daunting prospect but hopefully I'll take it in my stride, and William's a great teacher so hopefully he'll be able to help me along the way," she told the room of reporters as camera flashes went off.

@princessmiddleton_

♬ original sound - ~Princess Catherine~

"I'm really looking forward to spending my time with William," the bride-to-be added, with the prince replying, "She's very good at flattery."

Even though she found the idea of joining the Royal Family "daunting," the princess certainly settled into her royal role over the years, and the TikTok clip—captioned "The next Queen of the United Kingdom 🔥"—showed a montage of Kate taking part in royal events such as her wedding and Queen Elizabeth's funeral.

In one scene, a commentator says, "I think that Kate Middleton will be the people's princess," as footage of the royal riding in a carriage for King Charles's coronation plays.

A member of the public tells Princess Kate, "You're going to be a brilliant Princess of Wales," in another moment from the TikTok, which has been viewed more than 117,000 times.

A pile of newspapers with Kate Middleton and Prince William's face on them

The couple's engagement made front-page news in the U.K. and around the world.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The video ends with the Princess of Wales receiving a standing ovation at the 2024 men's Wimbledon finals, an event she attended while receiving chemotherapy treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer.

"She didn’t just learned how to be a princess, she NAILED it," one fan commented on the video, while another wrote, "Catherine, The Princess of Wales is extraordinary. She truly was born for this role. Princess Diana would have adored her."

Kate Middleton wearing a blue wrap dress and Prince William wearing a navy suit standing on a red carpet in front of a fireplace for their engagement photo

Middleton and Prince William met as students while attending the University of St. Andrews.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Princess of Wales—who announced she'd finished chemo on Sept. 9—has made a gradual return to duties in the past month as she recovers from her cancer battle. She made a surprise appearance to meet families and emergency personnel impacted by a stabbing attack in Southport, England, on Oct. 10, marking her first official post-chemotherapy event.

Although nothing official is set on the Princess of Wales's calendar aside from her Royal Carols: Together at Christmas concert in December, November's Remembrance Day event and an upcoming state visit mark two potential times fans might see the princess.

Kristin Contino
Senior Royal and Celebrity Editor

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.

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