A lip reader caught Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, making a playful remark during Prince William‘s passing out parade.
At the December 2006 ceremony, which marked the formal graduation of officer cadets, Kate attended as William’s girlfriend alongside numerous guests. William had finished his 44-week Commissioning Course at Sandhurst and was preparing to join the Household Cavalry’s Blues and Royals as a second lieutenant, UK Mirror reported.
Prince Harry completed his passing out parade in April 2006. A recently discovered video reveals Kate’s comments to other guests at the event.
Accompanied by her parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, the future princess was observed saying about William: “I love the uniform – it’s so, so sexy.” The 24-year-old Kate wore a scarlet coat with black accessories.
William, also 24, participated in the parade with 232 fellow cadets. This marked Kate’s first official public appearance at a Royal Family event. According to Tina Brown’s book The Palace Papers, whilst Kate’s presence signalled strong commitment, her mother attracted criticism for chewing nicotine gum throughout the ceremony.
Following the event, Catherine and her parents shared their first lunch with the Royal Family. The Princess of Wales, who became William’s wife in 2011, reused the same hat from the passing-out parade at the Remembrance Sunday service in 2023.
Catherine, 43, has been gradually resuming her royal responsibilities after completing chemotherapy treatment for cancer diagnosed a year ago. Her activities have included visiting a London gallery with schoolchildren, supporting a children’s hospice, and touring a prison.
Currently, she is taking a break as she, Prince William, and their children are reportedly holidaying on Mustique in the Caribbean. This coincides with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis’ school half-term break, with their return to studies expected next week.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond suggests Kate will continue managing her own schedule. She told the Mirror: “We have already seen more of her than we expected in these early months of the year, so that augurs well.
But I think she will be determined to remain in charge of her own schedule and she will dictate how much we see her on public duty, and how quickly she gets back to full-time work. And that is absolutely her prerogative after all she has been through.”
