Kate Middleton’s Clever ‘Princess Shuffle’ to Get Closer to People in Photos Spotted by Fans

Kate Middleton navigates the spotlight every day as the Princess of Wales, and fans just noticed one technique she uses that has them laughing. Middleton often uses short, smooth steps to inch closer to other people when she knows photos are about to be taken. After a video of her doing this “princess shuffle” went viral, fans began digging up older examples.

The clearest example of Middleton’s “Princess Shuffle” comes from a video taken in February of 2022 during her visit to Denmark. Middleton met with Mary, the crown princess of Denmark, and as the cameras came out she closed the gap between them quite smoothly. Looking closely at her feet, however, you can see that Middleton only took her foot of the ground for one short step. She then rocked her heels and toes over without missing a beat – all the more impressive as she was wearing high heels.

Once this video took off, fans found other examples. Commenters debated the exact reason for the shuffle – perhaps Middleton was thinking of photo composition, or perhaps she was concerned about optics. Either way, a huge gap between her and the dignitary next to her wouldn’t look great. Others credited the princess with finding her own best lighting or coming in close to conveying that she was listening intently.

Middleton gets a lot of credit for embodying the modern version of royalty in the U.K. and around the world. The Duchess of Windsor came from an upper-middle-class English family with parents who worked for British Airways when she was young. However, her family had relatively recent connections to British aristocracy that gave them access to some trust fund money as Middleton grew older. She attended boarding schools and eventually met Prince William while they attended the University of St. Andrews together.

Middleton and Prince William became engaged in 2010 and married a few months later in 2011. They have three children – 9-year-old Prince George, 7-year-old Princess Charlotte and 4-year-old Prince Louis. Middleton worked for a few years between graduating college and marrying the prince, but for most of her adult life she has pursued charity work and outreach as a full-time royal.

Still, Middleton has not been without controversy, as one might expect from a member of the royal family. Her wardrobe and behavior are scrutinized at every turn and she is subjected to constant speculation by the press, for one thing. More recently, there have been rumors that Middleton does not get along with her sister-in-law Meghan Markle, and that one of them is always trying to undermine the other. Markle and Middleton have never commented publicly on these kinds of stories, and for some fans, both can represent the regal ideal without being at odds.